But he's not always in top form. Woods often talks about complementing his awesome skills with a little luck, and that always seems to be a winning recipe at Augusta. In 1987, Larry Mize hit a 140-foot chip at No. 11 in a playoff against Norman that might have rolled through the green toward the water except that it went in the hole for an unlikely victory. You can get some funny bounces and you hit good shots that suck back off of a green. You have to be patient.
Woods can attest to that.
Four years ago, in his first round at the Masters as a professional, he had a 40 on the front nine and was in jeopardy of an early departure. He played the next 63 holes in 24-under par to win by a record 12 strokes, with a record score of 270. He hasn't given himself a good opportunity since then. That's part of playing a championship, especially majors. The key is to keep putting yourself there.