In case you didn’t know, Tiger Woods is a good golfer.
And if his 15 big wins don’t tell you that, the markings on Woods’ golf clubs from his “Tiger Helmet” in 2000 and 2001 do.
The irons Woods used during that infamous period broke US auction sales records, with a winning bid of just under £4 million.
But on examination, there is one telltale sign that shows just how damn good Woods was in his prime.
The wear marks on the Iron-8 show just how consistently Woods hit the ball right in the sweet spot.
And while Woods’ agent, Mark Steinberg, denied the sticks were his, Golden Age auctions actually used the marks on the iron-8 as evidence that only Woods was capable of such a consistency.
This is according to Washington Examinerwhich reports that Golden Age founder Ryan Carey said in response to Steinberg’s claims that Woods still owns the clubs, “Just look at the 8 iron wear mark.
“This stick has clearly been hit dead a thousand times by the world’s greatest striker.
“If Tiger thinks he has these clubs at home, we’d love to see them.”
The marks on the iron 8 are hard to see, the sweet spot is worn to shreds while the rest of the club surface is like new.
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It is believed that they were used when Woods was at the peak of his mesmerizing form in the early 2000s.
During the three years from 2000 to 2002, he won The Masters and the US Open twice, as well as the PGA Championship and The Open once.
The Iron 8 pictured is believed to have been used between 2000 and 2001.
But while the evidence of his clubs is overwhelming in itself, Woods’ return to the 2022 Masters could be even more surprising.
Just 14 months after a high-speed crash in Los Angeles in which he suffered serious leg injuries, Woods finished in the top 50 at Augusta.
After the end of the first round T10 with -1, there were rumors that there might be a sixth green jacket on the cards.
He eventually finished 47th with +13 after passing through the 22nd consecutive Masters event he entered, while Scotty Scheffler took the top prize.
Only Fred Paras and Gary Player have made more consecutive cuts than Woods at 23, but you wouldn’t bet he’ll equal them in 12 months.
Especially after he announced his intention to play The Open at St Andrews in July on Sunday.