The 2022 Masters Tournament is slated to begin on Thursday, and one of golf's most iconic players is set to return to Augusta National, just 14 months after a devastating car accident.  In a press conference, Tiger Woods told reporters that not only is he planning to play in the tournament, but that he also thinks he can win.  Cam Rogers, national sports betting and golf analyst, and host of 'Lock It In' 
for the Bleav Podcast Network, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.

Closing Bell

Tiger Woods Says He Plans to Play in the 2022 Masters Tournament

Okay, this is the story of the day, the 2022 Masters tournament slated to start on Thursday and one of golf's most iconic players, set to return to Augusta National, just 14 months after a devastating car crash. We are of course talk talking about Tiger Woods, the legendary athlete telling reporters today that not only is he planning to play in the tournament, but he also thinks he can win well as of right now, I feel like I am going to play as of right now. Do you think you can win the Masters this week? And what have you seen in your preparation that leads you to believe that? Well, I can, I can hit it just fine and I don't have any qualms about what I can do physically from a golf standpoint. It's now Walking is the hard part, you know, 72 holes is uh it's a long road and uh it's gonna be a tough challenge and the challenge that I'm up for. Okay, we'd like to hear that story of hope. It's good to see Tiger joining us now to discuss more on Tiger and other storylines, of course surrounding the big tournament. The Masters is national sports betting in golf analyst and host of lock it in at the belief podcast network cam Rodgers cam. It's good to see you, you're joining us in Tiger's signature red, I see that red Polo, thank you, do the odds favor Tiger to win this weekend. We're all rooting for him. What are the betting odds in his favor? What's going on, Kristen, Great to be with you as always. Yes, after he did that press conference. I put on this Polo immediately and I may not watch this until sunday evening. I mean, this is truly a remarkable story. Just the sheer fact that Tiger Woods is going to put a t into the ground on thursday morning at the Masters far earlier than I ever thought he was going to return to the game is really just a story in of itself. As far as expectations are concerned. I mean, you heard Tiger's right there. He thinks he can win this thing and that has always been his M. O. Kristen like he doesn't play a PGA tour event to finish top 20 Top 10, make the cut, cash a paycheck. He has all the money in the world. He's here to win the masters. He's we're here to win his 16th major championship. In that quest to catch Jack Nicholas. As far as my expectations are concerned, I'm gonna throw some cold water on top of all of that. Look, if he makes the cut this week, I think that's a major accomplishment for him. Yes, he's hitting the ball fantastically right now. Those are the reports out there from his fellow players. But Kristen this golf course is extremely difficult to walk. A lot of undulations, a lot of hills, that's a lot of pressure on his ankle. We'll see if he can hold up here for 72 holes and of course that's what he was saying, right kim, I mean he can hit the ball just fine according to Tiger himself, but it's walking this famous of course that could prove Had to be the actual challenge there. So in terms of betting odds, I mean this was some big news that we got today just 48 hours before the tournament actually kicks off. But are the odds in favor of him this, this might still seem to some people like a long shot. Yeah, he's definitely a long shot for sure. But you know what kristen people are going to bet on the masters because it's the masters and people are going to bet on Tiger Woods because he's Tiger Woods. So for a lot of people, it's a ceremonial bet if you will. I don't think there's actually a lot of value in terms of his number right now. I'm seeing 50 to 1, 60 to 1, something along those lines. My projected winner this week is 50-1. So I would rather have tiger at like 80-1 90-1, 100-1 to actually even get me close to betting on him to win this thing this week. But look, We're talking about superman, perhaps the greatest golfer to ever walk this planet, if there is anybody to show up to a tournament 17 months after playing one. Like he could do it. Look redemption, redemption is the story of Tiger, right? We've seen it before. Everyone is rooting for him and that famous iconic red polo as you're wearing there. I can, but I got to ask you about who is favored to win the Masters, who is at the top of the sports betting books. Yeah, john Graham is the guy amongst everybody right now, as far as the favorite to get it done, he's a fantastic major championship golf for four consecutive top tens at Augusta National. He's a bomber off the T second to just brooks Koepka and strokes gained total at the majors over the last five years. He's a guy, I'm really tracking this week. Justin thomas is another favorite that a lot of people are tracking this week. Made the switch over to jim Bones Mackay, that's Phil Mickelson's former caddie who was on the bag for Phil Mickelson's Masters Championships. So that is some solid course knowledge and Justin thomas in his own right playing pretty well. Six top eight finishes since november five consecutive top 25 finishes at the masters, Top 10 in driving distance and par five scoring Jon rahm. Justin thomas, watch out for those guys. This week we're watching, Tiger will be there, Phil Mickelson will not, but of course a lot of eyes, I think tuned into this tournament as it kicks off on thursday cam Rodgers and his Tiger Red host of the locket in podcast with Kam Rogers and the betting analysts believe podcast, network cam, Thank you.