Third Master Question: How Is Tiger Going To Play?

We're about to be hit with a bunch of Masters preview stories and a boatload of Tiger talk. So as the bookies make him the favorite, it'd be nice to think ahead a bit and make some completely useless predictions about Tiger's play based on little fact or inside knowledge about his game. (That said, I find it astonishing he's been installed as the favorite when he hasn't teed it up since November and by most honest accounts is said to be understandably rusty.)

The bookies are also offering some bizarre bets.

“We’ve got a whole host (of markets), the funnies around to the serious,” Ladbrokes spokesman Nick Weinberg said. “Obviously, (we’ve) priced him up to win the major, to miss the cut, to have a fight with a fan on the first tee, to kiss an anonymous blonde – which doesn’t include (John) Daly, we point out.”

Despite any off-the-course problems, both Adams and Weinberg said that bettors will stand behind Woods with their money.

“He could have 10 years off the sport and there’d be punters backing him,” Weinberg said. “Even a 50 percent-75 percent Tiger Woods should have more than enough to see off the field.”

But I'm curious how you all would wager (if you were to succumb to a life of sin). Personally, I'd have to think about a bet where he's missing the cut, though Tiger knows the course so well he could probably get around there in 144 with one arm tied behind his back.

Your predictions please.

"The silliest question anyone can ask is, 'How has this changed you, Tiger?'"

John Feinstein says Tiger doesn't need to answer any more questions about Nov. 27th, the answers can be seen in his post-accident behavior.

Look, we all have a pretty good idea what happened Thanksgiving night: His wife confronted him in some way about his serial extra-marital escapades, and he fled the house in a T-shirt, shorts and bare feet clearly in no condition to drive a car. Do we really need to know more than that? No.

The silliest question anyone can ask is, "How has this changed you, Tiger?"

I'll answer that one: Not at all.

He's still an absolute control freak as demonstrated by his first two public appearances since the infamous accident. The Feb. 19 Tiger-and-pony show would have been fall-down funny if it hadn't been so excruciating. It looked like a "Saturday Night Live" skit, Tiger pausing dramatically to check his script and then saying, "I am so sorry," while those in the invited audience -- including his poor mother -- looked as if jumping off a building would be a welcome relief from sitting in that room.

Tiger Messes With Scribbler Golf And Travel Plans By Setting Monday April 5th Press Conference

I do like that he has set it for Monday at 2 p.m., well away from Thursday's start date and normally a quiet day in the media center. Oh wait, it's quiet because half the media is golfing, the other half still trying to get to town!

Still, I'm shocked he's doing it. There will definitely be some awkward moments in that room.

In a real buried lede moment, the interview list includes David Duval on Tuesday. So at least the news cycle from anything Tiger says will only last 24 hours.

"A high-profile golfer has been laying bets that Williams would be axed and replaced with Billy Foster"

Robert Lusetich's original story on Steve Williams' denial of Joslyn James' suggestions that they knew each other was "updated" with this little item:

A high-profile golfer has been laying bets that Williams would be axed and replaced with Billy Foster, a well-respected Englishman who caddies for Lee Westwood.

Foster, who said last week that he knew nothing of any such plan, filled in for Williams at the 2005 Presidents Cup so Williams could be with his wife, Kirsty, as she gave birth to their first son.

But Williams confirmed Sunday that he would be on Woods’ bag for his comeback tournament next month at Augusta National.

"Not out the Woods yet"

John Huggan files 25 questions for Tiger Woods...

10. Do you really expect us to believe that your mea culpa press conference was scheduled during the Accenture World Match Play for reasons other than sticking it to your former sponsors? What does that action say about your character, or lack of it?

11. Speaking of that press conference, how are we supposed to take anything you said that day – "I hope to play again this year" – seriously now that your comeback has been officially confirmed?

12. Ernie Els was outspokenly critical of both you and the timing of the above press conference. Will you confront him about that?