Tiger Woods needs to win at Augusta National.
Following the official PGA TOUR win at Bay Hill's Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, March 25, 2012, Tiger Woods is now primed to win the 2012 Masters, make history once again, and ignite a sport that desperately needs a spark.
No U.S. players sit among the top four players in the world, and only three of the top 10 are Americans. A win by Woods would go a long way toward generating interest in a sport that has seen many casual fans lose interest.
A win by Woods would mean a chance to repeat 1997 all over again, when the sports world was sent into a frenzy. Then, a wiry kid from Stanford came out and made the best players in the world look like they didn't belong. Now, that same kid, now a grown man, can shock those who said he'd never win again.
But the importance of a Woods win doesn't lie in his personal achievements. With 72 career victories including 14 major championships, he is a living legend of the sport.
The game itself is bigger than him. The irony is that when he wins, the game is better, and everyone knows it. Players would not be making the money they play for now had it not been for the excitement he brought to the game.
For example, in 2009, viewership at the PGA Championship, which saw Woods in contention in the final round (he would finish second) rose 150 percent from the previous tournament's final round in 2008—an event that Woods missed because of a knee injury.
This sentiment has been echoed by many, including sportscasters, fans, and his peers. When Tiger plays at a high level, everybody wins. To win The Masters, the most coveted golf event in perhaps the world, would make a statement that Tiger has arrived … again.
As for fans in the U.S., a great comeback story would transcend sports. But the sport would be the biggest winner. Having an American player among the world's elite once again would inspire young Americans to take up the game that has plenty of room for more talent.
To watch Tiger Woods is to witness history. When he struggled, so did fans. Though some are adamant that golf may be better without him and it's somehow someone else's turn to take the reins, it's downright silly to think that having one of the most incredible athletes the world has ever seen not playing his sport in his prime is somehow a good thing.
The 2012 Masters is Tiger Woods' chance to solidify his comeback with the world watching, and I can't think of a better way for golf to become exciting again.
Michael C. Jones is a Yahoo! Featured Contributor in Sports and PGA professional, covering both the PGA and LPGA tours.
Follow Michael on Twitter: @MikeJonesTweets.
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