Tiger Woods reportedly visits Augusta National before the Masters
Tiger Woods is helped into his winner’s jacket by golfing great Arnold Palmer after taking a victory at the 2001 Bay Hill Invitational in Orlando, Fla.
(Scott Audette / Associated Press)Tiger Woods reacts after injuring his right wrist while hitting out of the rough on the ninth hole during the final round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club on April 12, 2015.
(David Cannon / Getty Images)Tiger Woods tees off on the second hole during the third round of the Masters at Augusta National on April 11, 2015.
(Andrew Redington / Getty Images)Tiger Woods leaves the North County Courthouse in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., on Oct. 27, 2017, after pleading guilty to a reckless driving charge stemming from an arrest on suspicion of drunk driving.
(Carline Jean / Associated Press)Tiger Woods attends Game 2 of the 2017 World Series between the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on October 25, 2017.
(Christian Petersen / Getty Images)Tiger Woods shrugs while responding to a reporter’s question during a news conference at the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill on March 13, 2018. Woods would finish in a tie for fifth that week after finishing in a tie for second at the Valspar Championship in his previous tournament.
(Joe Burbank / Orlando Sentinel)Tiger Woods lines up a putt on the second green during tje Hero World Challenge, an offseason tournament he hosts, at Albany, Bahamas on December 1, 2017. Woods was testing his surgically repaired back in preparation for a 2018 return to the PGA Tour.
(Mike Ehrmann / Getty Images)The clues are starting to add up -- it looks like Tiger Woods is planning to play in the Masters.
News reports have been leaking out about Woods looking impressive on his home course in Florida. Now comes word that he may be practicing at Augusta National.
A plane with a tail number that matched his Gulfstream G5 was spotted at an airport near the course, the Augusta Chronicle reported on Tuesday.
Woods has been on hiatus from the PGA Tour since withdrawing from the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in early February.
The former No. 1 player is recovering from back ailments and has said he will not return until his game improves and he can be competitive.
On Monday, he fell out of the Top 100 in the world rankings for the first time since 1996.
The Masters begins April 9.
Twitter: @LATimesWharton
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David Wharton has filled an array of roles – covering the courts, entertainment, sports and the second Persian Gulf War – since starting as a Los Angeles Times intern in 1982. His work has been honored by organizations such as the Society for Features Journalism and Associated Press Sports Editors and has been anthologized in “Best American Sports Writing.” He has also been nominated for an Emmy and has written two books, including “Conquest,” an inside look at USC football during the Pete Carroll era.