Flash: Tiger, Steiney Acknowledge Other Human Being-Americans

You know something's up when those two are on the grounds of Augusta National and acknowledging other beating hearts.

Jim McCabe on Monday's practice round with Fred Couples.

At the par-3 fourth, for instance, Woods was wide right and in the bunker. Not good, but better than his next one, which he nearly pulled into the grandstands. Choosing to play his first one, Woods failed to get that shot out of the bunker, after which he played he played three shots.

It was, after all, what practice rounds are about, no?

Only this one was about more than the actual playing of golf. What set it apart was his first real public appearance since his world came crashing down upon him. So intriguing was this moment that Augusta National chairman Billy Payne came out to watch Woods hit his first tee shot and several high-profile club members walked along.

They were there, perhaps, to measure the crowd reaction, to get a sense of what Woods is in for. That seemed to be Mark Steinberg’s intentions, too.

As he walked down the first hole, Steinberg remarked that he couldn’t “remember the last time I walked a practice round,” and at several occasions Woods’ agent stopped to talk to key Augusta National members.

John Paul Newport writes:

Unlike Woods’s typically tuned-out response before the events of the last few months, he frequently made eye contact with the people who called to him, nodded his head and said, “Thank you.” It wasn’t quite the Phil Mickelson Show. Neither is walking to a Monday morning practice round the same thing as a competitive round. But Woods was notably more responsive than he has have been in the past.

John Boyette at Augusta.com has a slightly different take:

Overall, fan reaction is positive for Woods.
 
Woods hit his shot at No. 6 within 20 feet of the pin, which elicited applause for the increasing gallery.
 
"We love you Tiger," a man yelled as Woods walked past the bank of azaleas, which are not in bloom.
 
A woman then yelled, "Good luck Tiger."

Of course, if you believe the Daily Mail, that's the only thing Tiger will hear this week if the gallery is as loaded with ex-G-men as they claim:

Tiger Woods will be guarded by a ‘ring of steel’ of 90 private bodyguards – including former FBI and Secret Service agents – as well as armed deputies on his return to golf at the Masters tournament this week.

The unprecedented security is in place because of fears he may be confronted by one of his 15 alleged mistresses.

The bodyguards are thought to have been given photos of his alleged lovers, including porn star Joslyn James who has threatened to picket the tournament with a group of friends with megaphones.

One guard said last night: ‘None of these girls are allowed anywhere near him. If one photo comes out of a beautiful lady touching him, it would be a disaster.’

Fred Vuich files this gallery of morning Tiger images at golf.com.