Tiger Woods: Will Tiger's Winless Streak Come to an End at Augusta?

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Tiger Woods Can Get Off the Hook with a Bang By Winning Fifth Green Jacket

Precisely one year ago, Tiger Woods once again had the golf world on the edge of its seat. After being out of contention for months so he could get his house in order, Tiger was making a legit run at a fifth victory at the Masters, an achievement that many thought was impossible after so much time away from the game.

As it turned out, Tiger didn't quite have enough at Augusta last year. He finished tied for fourth and watched Phil Mickelson put on the Green Jacket for the third time in his career.

At the time, we had no way of knowing that Tiger's return to the PGA Tour was too good to be true. But 12 months later, with Tiger in the midst of a winless streak that stretches all the way back to September of 2009, we probably should have known.

Oh well. It's a new year, and Tiger is one of the favorites heading into the Masters anyway. He hasn't finished higher than 10th in the four tournaments in which he's played so far this season, but his track record at Augusta suggests that he'll be right in the thick of things. Tiger has finished in the top six in each of the last six trips to Augusta, and it goes without saying that he knows the course well.

If I were a betting man (and I am), I'm not so sure that I'm willing to bet the house on Tiger finally getting off the hook this weekend, especially not with Phil Mickelson coming off such a masterful performance at the Shell Houston Open.

I nevertheless don't have much faith in the field either, and I think Tiger has just as good a chance to win the tournament as any player not named Mickelson.

One thing I know for sure is that Tiger has to be none too thrilled with the fact that he was dropped all the way to No. 7 in the latest World Golf Rankings. If ever there was a guy who doesn't need that kind of extra motivation, it is Tiger Woods.

For more on the Masters, check out our countdown of The 10 Most Dramatic Finishes in Masters History.

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