Six reasons Tiger Woods should play the 2015 Masters

I was wrong. Many times, of course, but specifically a couple of weeks ago when I said Tiger Woods was going to skip the 2015 Masters.

That was a provocative statement at the time, but it was also one I believed. Woods' game is in disarray. The skill level I've watched this season has been of someone I would be aghast to play a weekend round with, not the best player ever.

These numbers are astonishing:

Dead last in scr is Charlie Beljan-45.75% Dead last in prox to hole chipping-Angel Cabrerra 9'9" @ WMPO Tiger was 27.78% and averaged 28'5"
— brandel chamblee (@chambleebrandel) March 30, 2015

I'm not sure Woods could beat Jeff Knox in the club championship right now, much less make the cut at the Masters. Still, you knew there was a sliver of hope that he might still play. The signs were vague, though.

When Woods' plane was spotted at the Augusta Regional Airport today, however, I knew. Everyone did. Woods is going to tee it up next week.

There are six reasons. Here they are.

1. That 2010 showing: It gets a little bit overlooked, but Woods nearly claiming the 2010 green jacket after not having played in six months has to give him some confidence that he can contend this year.

Here are the final scores from that 2010 Masters:

His game is in a far different place, but Woods is as headstrong as they come. If he thinks he can compete in 2015 because of what happened in 2010, then he's going to play.

2. Ben Crenshaw: Woods wants to pay tribute to Crenshaw's final Masters appearance? No, Woods knows that at 43 Crenshaw is the second-oldest Masters champ ever.

The only outlier is Jack Nicklaus at age 46. Woods only has four more tournaments until he'll be 43. He knows time is not on his side.

3. He didn't play last year: If Woods has been able to compete last year, it would make it much easier to bail in 2015. To miss two straight shots at Augusta under the age of 40, though? That's almost unfathomable.

Which leads us to...

4. Outside pressure from ... everyone: It's not as if Woods' sponsors and team didn't read the headlines last year about how egregious the Masters ratings were. If Woods plays and the ratings boom, then that's ammunition for his representatives to say, "Look, even bad Tiger is still relevant" when it comes to the casual golf fan.

All of the endorsements.

5. Air Cat 1 in Augusta: Several people on Twitter, including Golf Channel's Ryan Lavner, pointed this out. Woods isn't going to go through the theatrics of showing up at Augusta for practice rounds if he wasn't going to tee it up for the real thing next week.

Tiger has almost no choice but to play the Masters. Can’t practice at Augusta and then back out. Would be a damning indictment of his game.
— Ryan Lavner (@RyanLavnerGC) March 31, 2015

That just would not be happening.

6. It's Augusta, man: When it comes to Woods returning to his usual form, the phrase that always seems to rise to the top is, "He'll figure it out, it's Tiger."

I'd say the same logic is as compelling a reason as any for Woods to show up next week. "He'll play, it's Augusta." The place is equal parts pine straw, azaleas and magic. It has an allure. Narnia with flagsticks.

Woods himself might not even be able to give a good reason next week for why he's entering a professional tournament without confidence in his wedges.

You'll know, though.

It's Augusta.