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A16 sports
Wednesday 6 april 2022
Tiger Woods plans to play the Masters and thinks he can win

By DOUG FERGUSON “I love competing,” Woods
AP Golf Writer said. “And I feel like if I can
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — Two still compete at the highest
words can go a long way level, I’m going to. And if
when Tiger Woods is behind I feel like I can still win, I’m
them. going to play.”
No one would have been “I don’t show up to an
surprised if Woods never event unless I think I can
played golf again after a win it. So that’s the attitude
car crash in Los Angeles I’ve had,” he said. “There
that damaged his right leg will be a day when it won’t
so badly he said doctors happen, and I’ll know
raised the prospect of am- when that is.”
putation. Out of the public Shortly after he spoke,
eye for nine months, Woods the starting times were re-
sent hopes soaring last No- leased. Woods is helped by
vember with a video of him being part of the early-late
swinging the club with a rotation, meaning he will
simple message, “Making have some 22 hours be-
progress.” tween rounds.
And here is at Augusta Na- Otherwise, Tuesday was
tional, making a Monday mostly a wash. Woods
practice round feel like Tiger Woods drops golf balls on the driving range during a practice round for the Masters golf wasn’t planning on any-
Sunday at a major because tournament on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, in Augusta, Ga. thing more than working
of the gallery, walking the Associated Press on the range, anyway, and
steep slopes, swinging well champion by three weeks have any qualms about pion Hideki Matsuyama put even that worked in his fa-
and making it clear he has over Jack Nicklaus. what I can do physically on the menu for the cham- vor. Heavy storms moved
every intention of playing in The biggest question is from a golf standpoint,” pions-only dinner Tuesday over Augusta about the
the Masters. how he holds up over 18 Woods said. “Walking is the night. time he finished his work,
Does he think he can win? holes for four straight days. hard part. This is normally If he never plays — if he and the course was closed
Woods offered the shortest Woods walked 18 holes last not an easy walk to begin never wins — Woods said the rest of the day.
answer of his press confer- week — his first big test — with. Now given the condi- he is satisfied with what he As long as Woods has been
ence: “I do.” during a scouting trip with tions that my leg is in, it gets has achieved. part of Masters lore — Nick-
He said Tuesday he is plan- 13-year-old son Charlie (in- even more difficult. “I think 82 is a pretty good laus and Arnold Palmer
ning to play and thinks he cluding a stop at the Par “Seventy-two holes is a long number,” Woods said. once predicted he would
can win. Never mind that 3 course). He played the road and it’s going to be a “And 15 is not too bad, ei- win more green jackets
it will be 508 days from the back nine on Sunday, the tough challenge,” he said. ther.” than both of them com-
last time he played a tour- front nine on Monday. “And a challenge that I’m His 15 majors are second bined (10) — the reality is
nament where he had to Woods plans nine more for up for.” only to Jack Nicklaus and rust from no serious com-
walk, or that he returns to Wednesday and then it’s That might be the biggest his 18, the gold standard petition and a body that
this Masters with screws and “game time.” He is to tee reason Woods is even at in golf. He is tied with Sam has endured at least 10
rods still holding the bones off at 10:34 a.m. Thursday Augusta National for more Snead for the PGA Tour ca- surgeries to both legs and
in place in his right leg. with Louis Oosthuizen and than the sushi and miso- reer record with 82 wins. his back. But he’s planning
Woods also is 46. He would Joaquin Niemann. glazed cod and Wagyu So why keep coming back? to play, and that feels like
be the oldest Masters “I can hit it just fine. I don’t beef that defending cham- What else is there to prove? enough. For now.q

Cuban boxers can go pro under deal

with Mexican promoter

The scope of the deal an- the past Tokyo Olympics. ban athletes from other
nounced Monday wasn’t But for decades, Cuban sports have left the island
immediately clear. The sporting officials shunned in recent decades to seek
Mexican promoter, Golden the professional sport and a lucrative professional ca-
Ring, appears to operate lauded champions such as reer not available at home
primarily in Aguascalien- Teófilo Stevenson and Félix under Cuba’s socialist sys-
tes, a city of nearly 900,000 Savón never went pro. tem.
people in north-central “The moment has come. Under the deal, Cuban of-
Mexico. We have spent years study- ficials said the boxers would
It held an event last year ing this possibility,” said Ariel get 80% of the earnings
with Cubans participating Sainz, vice president of the while trainers, doctors and
on an amateur basis. The official Institute of Sport, ap- the federation would split
first bouts under the new pearing on state television the remaining 20%.
agreement are scheduled Monday night. Alberto Puig, president of
Cuba’s Julio Cesar La Cruz reacts after defeating Muslim for May, according to Cu- “In professional boxing now the Cuban Federation of
Gadzhimagomedov of the Russian Olympic Committee, at the
2020 Summer Olympics, Aug. 6, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. ban officials. there are opportunities for Boxing, said that profes-
Associated Press Cuba has been a global our athletes that we can sional boxing had “human-
power in boxing on the am- perfectly well utilize.” ized” itself in recent years
HAVANA (AP) — Cuban first time since the 1960s un- ateur level, focusing heav- He also noted it would al- and argued there are
boxers will be allowed to der a deal with a Mexican ily on Olympic success. It low athletes to improve now few differences in the
fight professionally for the promoter, officials said. won four gold medals at their incomes. Many Cu- rules.q