This isn’t how Tiger Woods wanted to keep the green jacket

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Every golfer dreams of having the Masters’ famed green jacket in their possession one day. Tiger Woods only wishes he had the opportunity to lose it. Coming off his thrilling victory at Augusta last year — his first major title in 11 years — Woods is guaranteed to hold onto the jacket until at least …

Every golfer dreams of having the Masters’ famed green jacket in their possession one day. Tiger Woods only wishes he had the opportunity to lose it.

Coming off his thrilling victory at Augusta last year — his first major title in 11 years — Woods is guaranteed to hold onto the jacket until at least mid-November, when the renowned event has been rescheduled to take place.

On Thursday, Woods — one of three golfers to win back-to-back Masters titles — was supposed to begin his title defense.

“This is not the way that I would’ve wanted to keep the jacket for a longer period of time. I wanted to get out there and compete for it and earn it again, like I did in ’02,” Woods told GOLFTV. “But it’s not a normal circumstance, it’s not a normal world. It’s a very fluid environment and it’s very different for all of us. Fortunately, we potentially could have a Masters in November and play it then. I guess I’ll be defending then and hopefully that all comes about.”

As the long-circled week of the most anticipated tournament of the year approached, Woods believes his body wasn’t fully aware that he wouldn’t tee off anytime soon.

“I was talking to [Justin Thomas] about this the other day and I felt energetic, I felt really alive and wired and kind of irritable and I didn’t know what was going on,” Woods said. “And my body, subconsciously I knew I was supposed to be getting ready to leave and start playing the Masters.

“My body was ready, and I didn’t know why I was acting that way. It’s crazy….I’m wired, I’ve been doing it for 25 years now and so it’s hard to find the wire, those circuits now, I do feel a little edgy.”

Unlike many athletes, Woods has been able to keep practicing. In addition to the playing area in his sprawling Florida backyard, the 44-year-old has continued playing rounds at the nearby Medalist Golf Club.

“Virtually every course to the south of us is closed, but we remain open, so it’s been nice to go out there and hit some golf balls a little bit,” Woods said. “Obviously we have our social distancing, you can’t touch rakes or touch the flags. One person per cart but at least the members and their kids are able to play a little bit, get out there and do something active.”

At home, Woods is still battling for control of the green jacket against his 11-year-old son, Charlie.

“We have a deal, in the backyard generally every night we’ll go and play putting matches and the winner gets to keep the green jacket in the closet,” Woods said. “Occasionally it’s gone into his closet. Primarily it’s stayed in mine, but the fact he’s been able to earn it off me because there are no wins that are given in this family. And so, it’s been fun to see him tease me about beating me and being able to wear the jacket and have it in his closest where he says it belongs. I’ll earn it back off you tomorrow night, not tonight! It goes back and forth, and we’ve had a lot of fun with that.

“Fortunately, and unfortunately we won’t have that opportunity, I won’t have that opportunity to play for it and put it up there against the rest of the guys until November but we’ll enjoy little things like that around the house.”

The putting has gone far better than the puzzles Woods and his family have been constructing to pass the time.

“I’ve been trying to help Sam and Erica with this ungodly puzzle that they have. They have just finished a 2,000 piece puzzle, and now there’s a 3,000 piece puzzle. I struggled as I’m partially color blind – that being said I don’t know certain colors so I find myself asking is this right, ‘Is that right?’ They get sick and tired of me asking,” Woods said. “They end up shooing me away from the puzzle. Once the borders are done though, I’m useless. I can’t disseminate colors as well as they can.”

Sitting beside his family, Woods showcased the green jacket in a photo taken at home this week for a “quarantine style” Masters dinner, which culminated with a cupcake fight.

“Well I did take the jacket off,” Woods said. “This jacket cannot get any cupcake on it. So, I take the jacket off… OK Go!”