The Masters

Tiger Woods won the first major he ever played in at the 1997 Masters tournament by 12 strokes. He was 21 years old.

Tiger's career exploded. He accumulated 15 major victories along with nearly 70 wins on tour. By the age of 33 he was a shoe in for the greatest golfer of all time slot. All of this greatness was launched at the 97 masters.

It's masters time again. There is no bigger stage in golf. The same stage the young Tiger Woods stole the show on now 14 years ago. But, as we all of course know, a lot has happened to Tiger since that unprecedented victory.

Tiger is in a rut. He is down and out. His game has never looked, and most likely felt, so haphazardous. He is at the all time low in golf, and perhaps for Woods, in life. However, this doesn't make the masters any less exciting. Woods is the kind of guy who could shock the sports world by bringing it all together, mending it, glueing it tight, and pulling out a clutch victory this April.

If you were a betting man, at this point, you probably wouldn't have Tiger winning the 2011 tournament at Augusta. But, given the man's past, some part of you has to wonder if Tiger is capable of doing just that.

I'm certainly looking forward to see what happens. Some part of me doesn't want to get my hopes up that Woods will play well. Tiger has been breaking hearts lately, rather than lifting spirits. I just hope that I don't get too optimistic only to have a confused and broken former champion fail to show up to the tournament he dominated 14 years earlier.