BUTCH HARMON warned The Masters wannabes that they should 'beware of the wounded big cat'. Tiger Woods won't tee off at Augusta unless he believes he can win.

After playing with his son Charlie and ex-world No 1 Justin Thomas, Woods, 46 sent the golf world into a frenzy about whether he will be bidding for a sixth Green Jacket.

This suggested that a miracle recovery from the terrible leg injuries sustained in a car accident last February could be possible.

Woods claimed that he had only been playing "hit and giggles" for a while, but it is now that he has joined Charlie in the Parent and Son Championship. He used a golf buggy to get between shots.

Harmon, 78, said that Woods would be considered a top contender if he felt that his right leg had been rebuilt and was capable of taking on Augusta’s hilly terrain.

Harmon coached a 21 year-old Woods to his first Major win 25 years ago, this week at The 1997 Masters.

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DO YOU BELIEVE IT IN WOOD?

After practicing, Tiger Woods is the most-backed player to win The Masters.

He insists that his former pupil wouldn't be content with just making up numbers.

He said: "Knowing Tiger as I do, I truly believe if he doesn’t feel that he can compete, he would not even play."

"The main concern was always going be, "Can he walk to Augusta with the leg that was so severely injured?"

He may have thought that he answered the question by playing the practice round. I believe he walked all 18 holes.

"And those who had the chance to see some of it said that he looked quite darn good.

"Ofcourse it's more than one day. He has to do it for at least four days during a tournament.

Tiger said that if he doesn't feel competitive, he wouldn’t play.

"So, if he does come out and play, we must believe that he believes he can do it. He will not just play and shoot 78-78. That to me is not Tiger Woods.

After his Los Angeles high-speed accident, the American required surgery to his right lower leg, foot, and ankle.

Six days prior to the event, players must confirm their place in the field.

Masters competitors will have to wait until they tee off before they can decide if they are ready to play. Woods will likely keep his fans guessing until the very end.

Woods might be aiming to match Jack Nicklaus' six Masters wins record, but Harmon, a respected Sky Sports pundit on golf, believes that just playing again will be his greatest achievement.

He said, "I would have to say that it would be up there alongside any of the great achievements he's made." You can see the wrecked car that he got out of last February. It was horrible.

"We were glad that he was alive, that was the first thing.

"Secondly, we have to ask ourselves if he will ever be able walk again after reading about the leg shattered.

"The one thing that I can tell you about Tiger Woods is that you cannot say never with him.

"He will always prove that you are wrong. Tiger Woods will never disappoint you.

"He has this incredible will to succeed and survive, regardless of what happens."

"And he is very competitive in all he does.

"I for one never believed he would win another tournament after he had four back operations to fix that broken disc.

"And he did return and win the Masters for a fifth-time in 2019. It's amazing.

"But considering everything he's gone through over the last 14 months -- and somehow getting into the hunt again -- it would probably even top what he did for 2019."

You can watch The Masters live on Sky Sports. Sky Sports Golf will be covering the Masters from tomorrow to Sunday.