Is Tiger Woods value at The Masters?

He's a best price of 6/1 with Ladbrokes at the moment, a day before the start of the tournament. He has been as short as 3/1 with some firms when he first confirmed he would be playing in this weeks event, which was just ridiculous.

For me he dosen't represent great value to win his 5th Green Jacket this weekend. I think that Woods is just using this tournament to ease his way back into the world of golf after his 5 month break. The controlled enviroment of The Masters is the one place he is guaranteed no heckling or abuse, or no tabloid celebrity style press to annoy him.

Tiger generally plays a tournament the week before a major, so if he is serious about winning the event I think he would have come back earlier and played a warm up event. If ever he would have needed one, it would be this time.

Never the less, I still wouldn't back against him (he is 6.8 to lay on Betfair). If anyone can come back after all what has happened and show the mental strength to win, it is 'The Tiger'. I will though, adopt a watching brief and if his odds go out to something stupid over the first couple of days I might invest a small wager on him. I just think 6/1 is too short at the moment.

In fairness to him, he impressed me in Monday's press conference. He answered nearly all the questions asked of him, and generally always looked in control. He still had a level of control over the press, and kept his cool with them, showing a high level of dignity when asking the press not to bombard the other players with questions about him.

A request, which unfortunately they ignored.

I felt this was a far more assured public showing than his previous stage managed events. I also felt that I warmed to him more with the way he answered the questions, unlike before.

I have heard some people saying maybe Tiger has lost his aura of invincibility, only time will tell. Another question for me is, had it already gone? Did he lose it when he lost to South Korea's YE Yang in last years PGA? The first time Woods failed to win a major he led after 54 holes. For these reasons I probably won't back him this year.