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CNN Live At Daybreak

Can Tiger Woods Make History Again at Masters Golf Tournament?

Aired April 10, 2002 - 06:50   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Can Tiger Woods make history again at the Masters Golf Tournament this week right here in Georgia?

CNNSI's Tom Rinaldi traveled to Augusta in search of some answers.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

TOM RINALDI, CNNSI CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): A dream tailored in green, and a smile that spelled history.

Winning his second Masters last year, Tiger Woods became the sole owner of golf's four major championships, a modern feat unprecedented and overwhelming. But history isn't easy, it's exhausting.

Wood's best finish in the year's three remaining majors, a tie for 12th at the U.S. Open. If a letdown was inevitable, is Augusta the perfect pick-me-up?

TIGER WOODS, MASTERS CHAMPION: After I had won it just -- it felt like I won the Masters not -- it didn't feel like I won four in a row. I focused so hard on just winning this one tournament, when I won last year on Monday, I had 104 temperature just kind of laying in bed, just trying to recover.

RINALDI: As Woods practiced here this week, he returned to a course radically different. Nine holes have been altered, nearly 300 yards added. Much has been made of the changes as a means to prevent Woods from dominating the tournament, a theory he rejects, with new challenges he embraces.

WOODS: You know the golf course definitely favors the guy who hits the ball further, but you have to hit the ball straight too. You can't just bomb it away with the intent that in any drive you can make birdie or par (UNINTELLIGIBLE) like you used to in the past. I think placing a golf ball becomes more of a premium again in the greens and -- but, more importantly, off the tee. You've got to hit the ball (UNINTELLIGIBLE) in order to control the ball in the greens.

RINALDI: Woods has always kept his goals private, but the best player in the world, who won the first of the six majors here at Augusta in 1997, is quite open about his desire to write history each spring, in this, golf's most (UNINTELLIGIBLE) setting. WOODS: I think it's just special for anyone to play here, not only myself. But what I have done in the past, this golf course just, you know, felt really nice. It felt real comfortable when I got here and I played.

RINALDI (on camera): How much has changed as Tiger Woods tries to defend his title here at the Masters? On the practice putting green earlier in the week Woods said he couldn't find the hole -- any of the holes -- because all the breaks (ph) had changed. One thing seems the same: Woods has a very strong chance of breaking out his old green jacket come Sunday night.

At the Masters, I'm Tom Rinaldi.

(END VIDEOTAPE)

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