Tiger Woods says he would've been healthy for Masters this week

Tiger Woods says he has recovered "night and day" from a sore back that hindered his preparations for w-postponed Masters and misses Augusta National showdown while quarantined. In an interview released Thursday by Woods sponsor GolfTV, 15-time major champion said he is cycling more and playing tennis at times to stay fit and his back pain has eased. "Night and day. I feel a lot better than I did n. I've been able to turn a negative into a positive," Woods said. "I've been able to train a lot. I've been able to get my body back to where I think it should be at." 

Woods, who says he would have been ready for Masters this week, skipped last month's Players Championship with back pain only to watch it be called off after 18 holes due to coronavirus pandemic.

"It's hard to unwire those circuits w. I feel a little edgy. I want to get out re. I want to compete," Woods said.

"I felt really alive and wired and kind of irritable. I didn't kw what was going on. I realized it was Sunday and I was supposed to be flying up.

"Subconsciously, I had already kwn I was supposed to be getting ready to go to be playing at Masters this week. My body was ready to go." 

Woods is also able to golf near his home at a course open despite coronavirus pandemic that has pushed back Masters to vember and kept him and his family isolated at home. "I've been able to play some golf," Woods said.  "Medalist is still open here. Every course virtually to south of us is closed but it remains open so it has been nice to go out re and play and hit golf balls a little bit... just get some activity and some peace of mind." 

Players can't touch rakes or flagsticks and carts are only for drivers, but strange thing for reigning Masters champion is practicing with event in mind. "It's weird practicing with end goal to get ready for," Woods said. "Hypotically it could be this. Hypoctically it could be that. It seems like it changes from day to day. Week to week re's always something new." 

'Go from meal to meal'

Woods, a five-time Masters winner, sts putting contests with son Charlie to decide in whose closet green jacket will reside. That's as close as any rival will get to taking it until vember. "I guess I'll be defending n. Hopefully that all comes about," Woods said. "This is t way I wanted to keep jacket for a longer period of time. I wanted to get out re and earn it again like I did in '02." Woods has yet to sit down and sort out what his schedule plan might be when play resumes, kwing virus impact could delay or cancel more events.

" way schedule looks we're going to be awfully busy in fall," Woods said. "Trying to figure all that out. "I'm going to sit down with my team and figure out what is best practice schedule, what are tournaments I should play in to get ready, when should I rest, all of things that are kind of up in air. "What I keep telling everyone around here is let's just go from meal to meal and it will add up." 

Masters menu food fight

On Tuesday, Woods and his family dined on fajitas, sushi and sashimi with milkshakes for desert, same menu he would have served that night at Masters Champions Dinner. This one also included cupcakes and a most un-Masters-like closing food fight. "It got a little interesting at end," Woods said. "It got a little ugly where icing was flowing across people's hair and face so we had a little bit of fun at end.

"But I did take jacket off. This jacket cant get cupcake on it." Woods said dealing with back pain, which led to spinal fusion surgery that enabled him to resume his career, has helped him cope with enforced waiting he w faces.

"To keep all our hopes up every day, sometimes it's challenging," Woods said.

"I don't kw how long it's going to work but so far se little mini goals have worked for us." 

Im credits: AP