Tiger Woods arrives in Augusta intent on playing Masters

All signs are pointing towards Tiger Woods playing in the Masters for the 26th time in his career, ESPN reported Sunday.

Woods, who has won the Masters five times, was seen practising at Augusta National Golf Club after flying in from Florida on Sunday. He was with his caddie, Lance Bennett, who worked with Woods at the Genesis Invitational back in February.

Woods was also photographed practising, with the pictures being shared by Augusta National Golf Club in a social media post on X.

Bennett has not yet caddied for Woods during a Masters. Joe LaCava used to tend Woods' bag, but LaCava is now working full-time with Patrick Cantlay.

Woods can make history this year, as he is going for his 24th straight made cut at the Masters. He currently shares the record of 23 consecutive made cuts with Gary Player and Fred Couples, a mark he reached in 2023 before withdrawing ahead of the third round due to plantar fasciitis.

Woods also had to withdraw from the Genesis Invitational due to an illness.

Spain's Jon Rahm is the defending champion at the Masters, which Woods last won in 2019. Woods also prevailed in 1997, 2001, 2002 and 2005.

• Akshay Bhatia defeated Denny McCarthy on the first playoff hole to complete a wild win at the Valero Texas Open on Sunday at TPC San Antonio.

Bhatia began the day with a four-shot lead but went to a playoff after McCarthy finished his round with seven straight birdies for an 8-under 28 on the back nine and a final-round 63. Bhatia finished his 67 with a birdie on the par-5 18th but dislocated his left shoulder with a celebratory fist pump.

The players returned to the 18th tee, and Bhatia realised his shoulder was hurt after his drive. While Bhatia waited for a trainer to help him tape his shoulder, McCarthy put his third shot of the hole into the creek that runs alongside the green.

Bhatia promptly stuck his third shot 6 feet from the cup, and he drained his birdie to win the event and secure a berth into next week's Masters.

Both players finished at 20-under 268 after McCarthy's record-setting 28, which saw him drain birdie putts on the 10th and the 12th through 18th holes. Known as one of the best putters on the PGA Tour, McCarthy made a 32 1/2-footer at No. 12 and a 41-footer at No. 15 before a 12 1/2-foot putt from right to left at No. 18 got him to 20 under.

Bhatia and McCarthy finished nine strokes ahead of third-place Rory McIlroy, who shot a final-round 66 to come in at 11 under.

• Nelly Korda won for the third straight week on the LPGA Tour and for her fourth consecutive start by defeating Ireland's Leona Maguire 4 and 3 in the championship match of the T-Mobile Match Play on Sunday in Las Vegas.

In her past three victories, Korda said, “going down the stretch, there is a different type of adrenaline. But I feel like with match play you have that from the first hole so it was a great day playing against Leona. Always such a great competitor. But happy to get my fourth.”

Korda sped ahead to a 4-up lead through seven by winning the second hole, then birdieing three straight at Nos. 5-7 at Shadow Creek. Maguire's par at the par-4 ninth was enough to get her on the board as Korda bogeyed the hole.

But Korda responded right away by winning the 10th, and a birdie at the par-4 12th put her 5 up with six to play.

Maguire stayed afloat by winning the next two holes with birdies, just her second and third birdies all day, to close her gap to 3 down with four to play. Korda proceeded to make the winning par putt at the par-4 15th. — Field Level Media