体坛英语新闻：Tiger practices at Augusta

NEW YORK, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Tiger Woods played a practice round at Augusta National Golf Club on Monday ahead of the Masters.

One day after giving revealing interviews to ESPN and The Golf Channel at Isleworth, world No. 1 Woods made his way to the Georgia course to test the layout where he has won four titles and will seek a fifth starting April 8.

Woods will make his comeback from a break of nearly five months at the year's first major championship following revelations of adultery that sparked a tabloid firestorm and sent Woods into treatment and therapy.

Golfer Tiger Woods apologizes during his first public statement to a small gathering of reporters and friends at the headquarters of the U.S. PGA Tour in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida, February 19, 2010

Ben Hogan is the only player to make a triumphant season debut at the Masters, winning in 1951 and 1953.

Woods has had some impressive practice sessions last week at Isleworth, according to India's Arjun Atwal and American John Cook, two of his practice partners who played Monday and Tuesday in the Tavistock Cup event at Isleworth.

Cook predicted Woods will win the Masters based upon three days of watching him play.

Mark O'Meara, a friend of Woods since the superstar's early days as a professional, will play practice rounds with Woods in the days before the Masters after being asked to do so by Woods. Woods himself has admitted he is nervous about how spectators will react.