Tiger Woods Eye-Balling the Masters as His Return to the PGA Tour

When the commercials start to advertise The Masters, you hear Jim Nance's voice say, "a tournament unlike any others...The Masters." So it only seems fitting for Tiger Woods to make a return unlike any others in the tournament unlike any others, right?

That's where I have to say that this is the wrong time for Tiger to make his return. The wrong time and the wrong tournament. He hasn't played in a tournament since before his infamous crash on Thanksgiving night, doesn't he need a smaller tournament to get his golf feet under him? Doesn't he need a tournament on a smaller scale just to make sure he is who he has been all these years?

In a way, I can see how this makes sense to Tiger, especially with the controlled environment that the Masters is. The passes that are handed out have been handed down through generations and they are coveted by those who have them. Heckle any golfer, especially Tiger, and that pass could be revoked for good. Something most people aren't willing to chance.

So, in a sense, by returning at The Masters Tiger is able to better control the environment around him. However, don't expect Tiger not to feel the condemning eyes  that will come from the gallery that will undoubtedly follow him around all four days, if he makes it that long.

Not only does he have the galleries to worry about, but how he's received by his fellow players. Some of them who have been particularly critical of his actions will no doubt be part of the tournament field. How will Tiger handle those guys? Does he show up with a hand shake a smile, hoping they'll shake his hand in return?

There has to be a million things running through Tiger's mind, but if anyone can make this kind of return with this kind of fan and media fair, it's arguably the best golfer in PGA Tour history.

With just weeks to go until the tournament kicks off and the rumors already beginning to fly. Augusta will have to put up security measures that they have never had to deal with ever before. They will be a part of the most high-anticipated return in sports history, next to Michael Jordan's return to the Chicago Bulls.

Though he may not be the favorite of a lot of fans and fellow players, there's no doubt that Tiger being in the field means he is the man to beat. There will be people rooting for him and people rooting against him, but Tiger will be focused only on himself. On his swing, his putting, and his game as a whole.

No one knows how Tiger is going to handle everything in his first tournament back. No one knows how he's going to carry himself, what he will and won't say and how he'll handle his first competitive tee shot in months.

What we do know is who this amazing athlete is. We know what he's capable of with a golf club in his hand and we know just how dominating he can be.

If Tiger shows up with a massive chip on his shoulder and comes in with something to prove, he could be even more dangerous than he's ever been before.

If he wants to shut up the naysayers and people who don't want him to succeed or even win, all he has to do is what he has always done.

If he does that, Tiger will once again be donning the green jacket and once again, Tiger will be right back on top. Picking up right where he left off.

The Masters is the equivalent of The Rose Bowl, "the grandaddy of them all." It is the tournament where legends are born or where legends continue. In this case it will be a golfer trying to work his way back to the status we all once held him.

But he has to prove a lot to himself before he can prove anything to his fans or fellow players. He has to prove that he can be the person he was raised to be. To be "respectful of the game" as he put it during his press conference a few weeks ago.

His possible return to The Masters will be one of his biggest challenges yet. He's had the challenge of real life, the challenges of rehab and the challenges of attempting to put his marriage back in order.

What Tiger faces now is the challenge of being the player we all know he can be. The player we've enjoyed watching since he burst on to the scene in the late '90s and the player that stole our hearts during his Master's win in 1997.

Love him or hate him, we all know that most of us are going to be watching his every shot and every move if he does decide to return at The Masters. Yes he made a mistake and yes he lied to his wife, but he owes more to his family and friends than he owes to the media and us fans.

Personally, I'll be rooting for him as an athlete and as a golfer. Because no matter what mistakes he made, I still love watching what he can do on the golf course. It's not something we've seen before him and it's not something we'll see after him.

After all, this is still Tiger Woods.