Whether you love him, hate him or something in between, there’s no getting around the fact that Tiger Woods moves the meter, making this year’s Masters among one of the most anticipated golfing events in recent history.  As Tiger returns to action after his lengthy and controversial hiatus, the entire golfing world will be watching as he tees it up this year in Augusta, which ensures that <a rel=”nofollow” target=”_blank” href=”http://www.stubhub.com/the-masters-tickets/”>The Masters tickets</a> will be as sought-after as ever.

At this point in his career, Tiger Woods isn’t simply the number one golfer in the world; he’s a worldwide celebrity who is among the most recognizable people on the planet.  Even as many have openly taken Tiger to task for his recent private troubles – and for good reason – there is no denying that many are interested in his every movement.  The fairways in Augusta are sure to be filled with as many jeers as cheers for Tiger this year at the Masters, but the overall anticipation surrounding his return could be unmatched in recent sporting events.

He certainly didn’t have to make his return to golf be at the Masters, though, as there are plenty of other smaller tournaments that he could have warmed up on before hitting the links in such a prominent and storied event.  Returning to compete in a major means the pressure will build to extraordinary levels in the days prior to Woods teeing off, and the media attention surrounding him is guaranteed to be at an all-time high for the sport.  Considering the attention that his prepared press conference got last month, it wouldn’t even be that surprising if the media circus was comparable to the Super Bowl.  For the most iron-willed player in the sport’s history, teeing up in such circumstances will be a tremendous test, even for a man who has garnished a reputation of being robotic.

What will be interesting to see, however, is how he changes some of his on-course antics.  Though he’s been perhaps the game’s most dominant player ever, he also has been frequently called out by golf purists for a variety of etiquette issues throughout his career.  Woods has never been one to put up with much from the fan gallery, as he has on numerous occasions called out fans that have distracted him while he’s lining up a shot or in mid-swing.

Some have also criticized him for being child-like when the course doesn’t break in his favor, complaining that he gets a free pass for on-course petulance because he’s the face of the entire sport. And that was before he got wrapped up in a sex scandal that thrust him into the national spotlight.  With so much criticism now swirling around him, it will be intriguing to watch how he reacts to the jeers and possible hatred that will be launched his way throughout the weekend.  His biggest challenge may just be to hold his tongue.

But the odd part about the Masters tournament will be how little media attention the other players actually get.  As the media follows Tiger around and his gallery grows to record lengths, pressure will be almost completely lifted from the other players – something that’s likely to be welcomed by most.  Even if he does not win the tournament, which is very probable, the headlines will still be about Tiger Woods, once again proving that his name and celebrity status are actually bigger than the game itself.

Tiger has catapulted himself from beloved golfer to one of the most polarizing figures not only in sports but contemporary pop culture as well.  No matter what people think about him as a man, the entire golf world will stop to watch him in action come tee time in Augusta.  Ironically, Tiger has never been as relevant as he is today, and neither has the Masters.

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