No one ever said Tiger Woods was a quitter. Woods is known for his determination, doggedness and tenacity for everything he shows a passion for. No, he’s not a quitter and his perseverance paid off this weekend as he set the golf world, no the sports world on its ear with his win at the season ending Tour Championship.
If anyone ever had a reason and the means to quit it’s Tiger. The golfer with the most money and the most major championships of the post Nicklaus era Woods has a lifetime of wealth in the bank. He could have easily thrown in the towel after his life fell apart when his many mistresses dominated the headlines and cost him his fairy tale marriage. He could have said ‘no mas’ as his damaged back kept him from even moving without debilitating pain. In May 2017 he crashed his car while under the influence of five different medications to deal with his pain and sleeping problems. He could have packed it in then. And after his fourth back operation, the most serious and extensive of all left him struggling to sit, stand or walk without pain he could have said enough. He didn’t.
And today all the hard work, all the sweat, all the rehab, all the pain and all the effort paid off. Woods won his 80th PGA tournament, just two short of Sam Sneads all time 82. And while this season has not been a circa 2000 Woods season he has had a good year. After today he has a win, two seconds, seven top tens, twelve top 25’s. Plenty of PGA pros would trade that for anything.
And this was after we witnessed Woods struggle with all aspects of his game. His driver was as wild as ever, he couldn’t putt anywhere near his “Tiger makes everything” level and do we even want to mention the chipping yips? That was hard to watch as one of the greatest talents in the game battled to find a game that looked even remotely like a pro golfer.
But this isn’t any mere mortal athlete. This was Tiger Woods, he of dominating wins and intimidating stares. And frankly he just worked his butt off to get his game back. For months we heard him talk of his “feels” and he invoked the “it’s a process” relentlessly. And he was right.
He wasn’t just rebuilding his swing. He was rebuilding it on a rebuilt body. And it was all him, no swing coach this time. No guru or swing instructor, just Woods and caddie Joey LaCava and his inner circle of trusted friends helping Woods become not just a new golfer but a new man.
From a distance he not only looks to be swinging freely but he is pretty generous with smiles and handshakes and acknowledgments to his fans. He’s a different Tiger. I imagine it’s difficult to go through what he has been through and not have a different perspective on life. And it shows.
Now, this “comeback” will be called the greatest ever in sports and compared to Ben Hogan’s comeback from the car crash that almost crippled and killed him before he won another six majors. It will be compared to Muhammad Ali’s Rumble in the Jungle when he came back from his banishment to rope-a-dope George Foreman.
I don’t know where to place Tiger’s amazing journey back to greatness among all the legendary sports comebacks but I know this. Tiger Woods is back…in a very big way.
Next up, a major championship or two to truly complete the comeback in his eyes. The golf world is a better place with this Tiger Woods in it and playing well. And he’s doing just that.
Oh, and this week we get to see him and the boys at the Ryder Cup. Can it get better than this? We’ll soon find out.
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