-LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Tiger Woods ' popularity has plummeted -- but most Americans will still be rooting for him to win when he tees up at the Masters tournament in April , a new national poll suggests . Nearly 60 percent of those who answered a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey said they wanted the embattled golfer to win the event at Georgia 's Augusta National course , which would be his fifth victory there . Twenty percent said they did not want him to win and another 20 percent said they did not care . The Masters will be Woods ' first time back in professional golf since his November car crash outside his home and the media frenzy about his extramarital affairs . And even though Woods has taken a hiatus from playing , 52 percent of those polled said they think Woods will win the Masters , the first of the golf season 's four major tournaments which runs from April 5-11 . An overwhelming majority of those polled , 75 percent , thought it was appropriate for Woods to return at the Masters and that he did not have to wait longer . But still , a majority of those polled , 45 percent , had an unfavorable view of Woods . Forty-three percent had a favorable view . These numbers are in striking contrast to 2005 when about 85 percent of those polled had a favorable view of Woods . Woods ' public woes began with an early-morning crash November 27 outside his Orlando-area home , when he suffered minor injuries after striking a fire hydrant and a tree with his Cadillac SUV . Woods was not required to talk to police about the wreck and declined to talk with investigators on several occasions . Eventually , he was cited for careless driving . The accident occurred days after the tabloid National Enquirer named Woods as having an affair with a New York nightclub hostess . The woman has denied the allegation , but several others have come forward to claim that they had sexual relationships with Woods , who has two children with his wife , former model Elin Nordegren . In a carefully-managed March statement , delivered to a small , hand-picked crowd , Woods said he was in inpatient therapy for 45 days from the end of December to early February for `` issues , '' which he did not explain . The controversy prompted several major sponsors to suspend or drop their relationships with Woods , who also apologized to his business partners for his behavior .