Tiger Makes Right Call About The Masters

Tiger Woods' announcement that he will return to golf at the Masters in three weeks makes sense because it allows him to return in the closest thing to a controlled environment that tournament golf allows.

The media attendance will be limited to the organizations that have already been credentialed meaning it will be essentially the same golf media that's at Augusta every year. Assuming Woods does a pre-tournament press conference, it will be managed by Augusta National and the gossip websites and television programs won't have access. That doesn't mean he won't get tough questions, but the vibe will be different.

It's also a place where the galleries are more likely to be respectful of Woods than at some other venues where the combination of beer, sunshine and boorish behavior could make it uncomfortable for not just Tiger but for some spectators, too.

Woods may hear a few catcalls at Augusta but not like at some other places. He's smart enough to know he's going to hear from the crowd whereever he plays but Augusta is different than every place else. I'm sure the basics of good behavior will be emphasized to everyone entering the gates.

It's great for golf that Woods is returning. Maybe this is the last phase of this long, ugly ordeal. Once Woods gets back on the golf course and his game can become the focus again, the quicker the rest of it will fade as he tries to move on. It will take a while, though. Just by playing again, the water is churned and it won't end with one tournament.

What happens if he plays the Quail Hollow Championship three weeks after the Masters? Or The Players Championship? Or The Memorial?

He could have chosen to play next week in Orlando at the Tavistock Cup and the Arnold Palmer Invitational but choosing the Masters figures to make his transition back into the public eye a little easier. Not easy. Just easier.

As for questions about whether he can win the Masters without having played a tournament since last fall, yes, he can win.

And wouldn't that be a story?