The Masters 2015: World No111 Tiger Woods targets 15th Major title

It’s a stunning claim by the former world No1 given he has spent two months out of golf trying to revive his game and is outside of the top 100 for the first time since 1996.

But the 14-time Major champion was in bullish mood after playing 11 holes at Augusta as he showed no signs of the chipping “yips” which have troubled him this season.

“I felt good — it was nice to get out here,” said Woods. “Chipping is fine. I wanted to test out some wedges out here. That was why I was chipping a little bit more. It came down to a couple of different bounce settings because it’s different from Florida. We figured the right one out.

“It’s been a process. But I’m on the good side now. It’s progression. I felt like I had to get my game into a spot where I could compete to win a golf tournament and it’s finally there.”

That final statement is particularly telling as Woods announced in February he would not return until he was sure he could “compete at the highest level”.

Woods has started just two events this year, shooting a career-worst score of 82 to miss the cut in the Phoenix Open and withdrawing score of 82 to miss the cut in the Phoenix Open and withdrawing due to a back injury after just 11 holes of the Farmers Insurance Open on February 5.