Tiger’s back, and the gallery is loving him for it

AUGUSTA, Ga. – It wasn’t a particularly tough putt, as these things go, a little six-footer on the 8th hole. But when Tiger Woods drained it for a birdie, the YEAHHH that erupted from the crowd hit with physical force.

Whatever woes ailed Woods earlier this year, he’s proven he’s still got quality golf left to play, and his gallery proved on Saturday that they’re ready to cheer if given the slightest opportunity. Saurday’s four-under round, which left him at -6 for the tournament. He’s double-digits behind Jordan Spieth and won’t come close to winning, but this weekend, that’s not the point.

For so many majors of late, following Woods has been like seeing the Rolling Stones in concert: you know exactly what you’re going to get, and the rush comes from nostalgia rather than appreciation. But here in 2015, against all expectations and assumptions, Woods has returned to … well, not to championship form, but to a level of golf that’s put him on the leaderboard. Saturday marked Woods’ first sub-70 round in a major on the weekend since the final round of the 2011 Masters. For a guy who didn’t appear to know which end of the club to hold in stumbling out of tournaments earlier this year, this renaissance qualifies as a minor miracle.

Woods still commands a large gallery, but there was something special about Saturday’s. It grew and swelled, tidelike, as the round went on. Woods began his day with birdies in three of the first four holes, and that was enough to attract the patrons to his pairing. The gallery grew and grew, to the point that it was 15 people deep at places, and the only way to figure out whether he made a putt, even standing 20 feet away, was to listen for the roar.

Augusta has always been a powerful draw for Woods, a place where he’s felt at home and at ease. The challenge now will be for him to translate his success here to other venues. But it’s clear from Saturday at Augusta that many thousands of his fans are still around.

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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at jay.busbee@yahoo.com or find him on Twitter.

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