In the latest episode of Not Another Golf Show, Ben and Gianni discussed the year ahead for Tiger Woods following his Genesis Invitational WD, beginning with possible Masters tune-up destinations.

Last year, Woods participated in five official events but made the cut only at the Masters, where he finished 60th. The 15-time major champion missed the cut at the PGA Championship and The Open Championship. The tournament host was not in playing shape for his Hero World Challenge in early December, although he and son Charlie did finish second at the PNC Championship (in which, of course, he was able to ride in a golf cart as needed). Woods has participated in a pair of TGL matches.

Check out a portion of the NAGS hosts’ conversation below.

Ben Alberstadt (13:07): You feel if Tiger is going to play the Masters, which of course he wants to…he’s going to want to get at least one tournament in here. But I’m looking at the calendar and I mean, obviously the tour wants him to play The Players. I’m sure he wants to play…from that standpoint, but I it’s not a course he’s ever really played super well. If he plays anything before the Masters, I’m thinking maybe the Arnold Palmer? I don’t know. Have you had a look at the schedule and given that any thought?

Gianni (14:11): Yeah, I’ve had a look and those are…the two tournaments I can see. I don’t know if he’s gonna play both. I definitely think he’ll play one. But I can’t see him playing any of the [other] tournaments.

Ben Alberstadt (14:20): I was going to say that too. I don’t think there’s any way he goes back to back at those. So I mean, my gut says Arnold Palmer…His history there is singular, but you know, even with the kind of not expecting him to win standpoint, I think it’s a lot easier…I think if he does play that’s where it’s going to be.

Gianni (14:53): Yeah, it depends on the conditions at The Players, that’s a course where any sort of risk  can get exposed quickly.

Ben Alberstadt (15:02): Yeah, he’s had some really poor showings there historically when he’s been either out of form or injured. I don’t think he’d be keen to do that and kind of invite the additional fanfare of the fifth major, you know, that type of atmosphere. I think that on all fronts the Arnold Palmer would make more sense.

Gianni (15:29): So without seeing him teed up outside of the TGL, are you buying or selling Tiger this year?

Ben Alberstadt (15:35): I mean, it’s tough to say I think you have to be a real diehard and super optimist to say it’s a wholesale buy. But I would also say that some things kind of go out the window and I don’t know how you could ever be totally selling if again, and the question is the same as it’s been for years the question I mean, and, you know, there were periods of this prior to these periods of resurgence, like is the body, is he good enough, feeling well enough, mobile enough going into a tournament to practice so he can come in sharp or close to it? And can he get four days of his body feeling good and reacting, responding how he wants it to? I don’t know…

We didn’t really know this last year. I don’t think as much as we maybe would have liked to have a clearer picture, but it seems like the back issues were the disk issue type of was more of a problem and was hampering him more than we were aware. You know…all the focus is on the leg, right? Again, not a doctor, certainly, but when you’re having that type of a disc issue and the nerve pain and shooting pain and arms and legs and maybe some weakness on one side, anything that can go into that is really, really hampering your preparation. I’m sure you’re having any level of comfort on the course, which one would think is a prerequisite to getting into any kind of a groove when playing…you feel like the body after the back surgery should probably be better than last year. But then on the other side of the ledger, he’s another year older. So I don’t know. think that having all the information we have, which again, it’s tough to feel that you ever have all of it. I’m more confident this year than I was last year. And if you get the circumstances where he’s prepared going into a tournament and gets four days of feeling good, functioning well, then I certainly think you have to say that he can still hit the shots. But does that lead to a top 10 finish, maybe even a win? I think it’s possible, but again, you just don’t know about those elements. What do you think?

Gianni (18:29): You think he can win a major? This year?

Ben Alberstadt (18:32): I’m not going to reprise my famed prediction that he’s going to win the Masters or anything of that nature. I don’t know. I think he could win a non-major. I don’t know. You really put me on the spot with this. I think it’s possible that, again, here’s what I’ll say. You get a situation where he’s getting some reps. You run the clock back to the Masters win and kind of look at his play leading up to it. It’s like, there were signs. He was at least playing playing well, know, decent finishes. I don’t think we’ve ever kind of seen him historically play, come out and win a major after either not playing or playing like crap. So I would say, I would say, let’s see if he can get a start in before the Masters and what that looks like. And then we can revisit that question. How about that for some evasion?

Gianni (19:38): Yeah, top evasion because like that was six years ago when he won his major, by the way, his last major. It’s what? I know eight months since he’s played? And a reminder of his major results last year: 60th at the Masters, which was dead last, missed cut, missed cut, missed cut. It can’t get much worse, but he’s not he’s not winning. He’s not even going to compete for a major.

Listen to the full episode below!