Tiger Woods ends golf’s GOAT debate with ‘greatest achievement in sport’

At the 2017 champions dinner Tiger Woods declared: “I’m done”. Two years later, the now 15-times major winner stared down golf’s next generation to complete the greatest comeback in the game’s history.

The argument is over: Tiger Woods is the greatest.

As near Biblical conditions closed in on Augusta, Woods, 43, stared down golf’s next generation to claim his fifth green jacket and 15th major - 11 years and four back surgeries after his last.

The win moved Woods within one of Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour wins.

Sure Jack has 18 majors - and won one here at age 46 - but the game’s never known a comeback like this.

Tiger Woods celebrates on the 18th. Picture: Getty

There’s roars here at Augusta reserved only for him.

“The Tiger’s hunted them down and now he’s in for the kill,” three-time Masters winner Nick Faldo said as Woods almost aced the par-three 16th.

“Two years ago at the champions dinner he said; ‘I’m done. I can’t play golf, my back is locked up’ and he feared that he’d never play golf again.”

But in his trademark final-round red, Woods overcame history and a shaky front-nine to fend off Italian ice-man Francesco Molinari and a string of back-markers.

The turning point came at the fabled 12th hole, where Woods found land and his main rivals the drink.

Surely no athlete has ever achieved a more remarkable return?

Tiger’s life began to spiral in Melbourne in November 2009 when a sensational story detailing his affair with New York socialite Rachel Uchitel broke in the National Enquirer.

Uchitel had been holed up with Woods in his Crown casino hotel room, as he played and won the Australian Masters, igniting a scandal that derailed his world.

Tiger Woods shares a laugh with Jack Nicklaus

His divorce cost more than $100 million, and then his body succumbed to years of physical toil.

Four back operations later, including spinal fusion surgery in April 2017, the Tiger has come roaring back.