Hot Start Will Be Biggest Key for Tiger Woods at 2013 Masters

If Tiger Woods doesn't jump out to the top of the leaderboard early on at Augusta National this April, you can forget about his chances of winning a fifth green jacket.

Woods hasn't won a major tournament in nearly five years. He is 0-for-7 at the Masters since winning his fourth in 2005, including a 40th-place finish a year ago after shooting par in Round 1 and heading into the weekend's final rounds plus-three.

Sure, Woods has the talent to come from behind, but he hasn't proven he can win from behind over the past few years.

If you look back at Tiger's three tournament wins in 2013, he's shot three under or better through the first round of each, including a six-under 66 in the first round of the WGC-Cadillac Championship at Doral a month ago.

Even though Woods wasn't setting the course on fire at Bay Hill last month, he was sitting comfortably at five-under heading into the weekend.

Considering how pressure-packed the final round of the Masters can be, as long as Tiger is in the mix, under par and in contention, he'll be the favorite to win. But arriving at such a scenario is easier said than done.

A few shaky moments on Thursday and Friday can have Woods fighting an uphill battle in a hurry, which wouldn't bode well for the 37-year-old, 14-time Major winner.

When Tiger last won in 2005, he shot a six-under 66 in the second round to rebound from a rough opening round, heading into the weekend four-under for the tournament. In 2002, the year he won his third Masters, Tiger was five-under heading into the third round. Same goes for 2001, when Woods was eight-under through the first two rounds.

If Tiger's goal is to get back to par heading into Saturday's third round at Augusta this April, then he can kiss his shot at another green jacket goodbye.

Regardless of how fluid Woods' game is at the year's first Major, if he doesn't capitalize on birdie opportunities early and get out to an early lead, he'll be headed for yet another disappointing finish.

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