Tiger Woods: The greatest comeback in sports history

Nobody thought Tiger Woods would ever return to be a contender. It only fuelled his ambition to prove us wrong. Brace yourself Melbourne.

Fans at Augusta National go crazy as Tiger Woods wins the US Masters in April this year. It gave the American his 15th major victory. Picture: Getty Images

Earl Woods, before his passing, told a story that captured his son’s drive and determination.

When Tiger was 14 or 15, he missed his tee time at a tournament in San Diego and was scratched from the event. On the way home, Tiger and Earl started talking about grinding and the need to find a way to thrive when your golf may not be at its best.

Just then, they drove past a public golf course. Tiger, slowly coming to grips with his earlier oversight, asked his father to stop so he could practice grinding.

Earl obliged and watched as his teenage son played seven holes, making birdie at five of them. Years later, on the rare occasions when he watched his son grinding on the golf course, that day would be at the forefront of Earl’s mind.

It helped illuminate the origins of Woods’ greatness as much as anything, highlighting an unquenchable thirst to dominate the game and anyone who played it. As his former coach Hank Haney tells it, practice was Woods’ church — “the place he made the sacrifices that would lead to success”.

“He believed in the old-school ways, putting his faith in the old (Ben) Hogan line about “digging it out of the dirt’,” Haney said in his own book ‘The Big Miss’.

“Even when his mind wandered to places that led to swing experiments, in our first few years together, I never once saw him hit a careless shot in practice.”

Patrick Reed helps Tiger Woods into on the green jacket after an 11-year drought. Picture: AFP

Woods translated that passion for practice into success on the course. When Woods departed Melbourne in 2009 with the Australian Masters in his possession, he was far and away the best player in the world. Seasoned professionals quivered in his presence. Within days his world fell apart and it would be a decade before Woods won another major — golf’s version of the Holy Grail.

He spent the intervening years railing against a body that had begun to decay and a reputation that was severely damaged. It was hard to know which took a greater toll, although you could mount an argument that finding his physical peak over the ensuing years played second fiddle to regaining his self-respect.

Proving people wrong

Ernie Els and Tiger Woods will be opposite camps this week as captains of the international and American teams at the Presidents Cup in Melbourne.

They have a relationship that stems more than two decades. When Woods’ was thinking of turning professional in 1996, he nervously wandered up to Els at the British Open and discussed the decision with the South African.

READ MORE: Tiger’s crash landing | When Tiger was warned away from Norman

Els’ advice was simple. He told Woods he had never seen anybody more ready to escape the amateur ranks. Soon after, Woods abandoned his amateur status and began conquering the world.

Els was by his side in those nascent days, their friendship strengthened when Woods moved to Isleworth in Florida, where the pair would host each other at barbecues and play tennis.

Eventually, as Woods’ celebrity grew and more people began to enter his atmosphere, they became more distant.

When Woods was at his nadir, Els provided an insight into the mental challenge confronting the former world No 1.

“There’s a guilt,” Els told author Tom Callahan in the book His Father’s Son. “There’s a conscience. Golf, just as a game, is an animal that tests your character. It beats you down until you feel you’re not a good person any more. I still say you can’t play your best golf without self-respect.”

Woods’ battle to come to terms with his personal shame was mirrored by the challenge of rebuilding a body that was slowly falling apart. The knee was the first to go. Then the back gave way. Two years ago, Woods underwent back surgery for the fourth time. At the same time, his world ranking was on a rapid slide.

READ MORE: Golf’s big bang | How Tiger changed golf forever

At one point in 2017, he plummeted to 1199 in the world. Unfathomable really. Epitaphs were being prepared for his golfing career. Eulogies were written.

Haney was among those to openly wonder whether Woods could find a way back. Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 majors seemed further away than ever.

“Certainly, he likes to prove people wrong, and with the majority view being that he’ll never be as good as he was, nor ever catch Nicklaus, he has plenty of motivation,” Haney said.

“He seemed to regain his work ethic in late 2011, but it’s yet to be seen whether he can sustain the effort. If he does, it will again make him different. I’ve never known a player who lost his hunger for practice to regain that same level of hunger.

“Nick Faldo, who in his prime was one of the most diligent and intense workers the game has ever seen, said that after he won the 1996 Masters, he lost the drive to practice. He tried to regain it but it never came back, and that drop-off marked the end of his career as a champion. “

While some wondered, Woods went to work. He kept digging it out of the dirt. He slowly climbed his way up the world rankings. He ran into potholes along the way, but in April 2018 he cracked the top 100. In July that year, he was back in the top 50.

He had to wait until this year to once again find himself in the top 10. He arrived there thanks to one of the most inspirational performances in the game’s history.

A rock star again

Woods has always had a soft spot for Augusta National. Most golfers do. He arrived at the US Masters earlier this year with his game on the upswing. He was a contender again, albeit one who would begin the tournament in the shadow of the likes of Brooks Koepka, the big-hitting and brash American who had been winning majors for fun. Woods wasn’t deterred. Koepka and the like were more fancied but Woods has a competitive streak like few others.

Despite warnings when he first turned professional to stay away from basketballer Michael Jordan, the pair had become firm friends over the years.

Woods’ competitive fire had all the hallmarks of Jordan in his prime. When former teammate Rod Higgins beat Jordan in ping-pong, the Chicago Bulls star bought a table and became the best player on the team.

On another occasion, Jordan dunked over the top of Utah guard John Stockton, prompting Jazz owner Larry Miler — sitting courtside — to suggest he should pick on someone his own size. Jordan then dunked over the top of seven-footer Mel Turpin and while running back to defend, turned to Miller and yelled, “he big enough for you?”

Woods was cut from a similar cloth. Tell him he couldn’t do something and he would work doubly hard to ensure he could. Needle him and he made it his mission to put you in your place.

When he drove down Magnolia Lane earlier this year, it had been 11 years since he won this last of his 14 majors. Only two years earlier, he had conceded to friends that he was done. Woods, of all people, sold himself short.

He got off to a solid start at the Masters, slipped into his groove and began the final day looking to make history. By the time he arrived at the 72nd hole, he had a putt of one metre to secure his 15th major. Woods, with tears no doubt welling in his eyes, made no mistake and wild celebrations ensued.

He punched the air. He let out a primal scream. He shook hands with his playing partners and took a moment to soak it in. He walked off the 18th green and hugged his son Charlie, who looked like a miniature version of the old man in red shirt and Nike cap.

His daughter Sam was next in line. Then his rock, his mother Kutilda. His long-time agent Mark Steinberg, a constant at Woods’ side through thick and thin, got a bear hug as well.

“That will be the greatest scene in golf forever,” Nick Faldo said in commentary.

Woods roared again as he made the short walk to the scorer’s hut, members of the gallery leaning over the ropes in the hope of getting a slap of celebration.

A woman in a pink top managed to get her hands on Woods. As he walked away, she thrust her arms in the air in jubilation. Woods was a rock star again.

A handful of his fellow professionals were waiting for him as he arrived at the scorer’s hut. Zach Johnson, Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Justin Thomas, Ian Poulter, Koepka and Bernhard Langer were among those ready to congratulate Woods on an unexpected yet unrivalled victory.

“Ten years ago you would not have 10 guys waiting around to shake his hand,” former professional Lucas Parsons said.

“Now you do. It is good for golf that you have these young guys who still respect him, but want to whip his arse. Tiger deep down he is like that. It is amazing, The game is so much better off with him being competitive. It is just better off having interest, he creates it, he is special in that way.

“He is not what he used to be in terms of dominating like he used to. We love a good story, we love champions, we like people coming back from defeat. I can’t even contemplate what he went through. The other thing is he had nothing to lose either. He probably had a billion bucks in the bank, not that that makes you happy.”

What made Woods happy was winning. Always has, probably always will. It’s why he kept digging in the dirt when injury and indiscretions threatened his career.

Times have changed but Woods’ motivation hasn’t.

“In ’96 when he came out, I still remember the 10th hole at The Aussie (The Australian Golf Club),” Parsons said. “I used to think I was long. I was sneaky long in ’96. He stood there and pulled out his two iron and ripped it 300 yards. It was like, ‘OK, it was a different beast’.

“I played with him in 2000 as well at the World Cup and he played with (David) Duval. I played with Peter O’Malley. We were drawn together, Duval was sneaky long.

“Duval was often 10 or 15 (yards) in front of us — 2000 was arguably his greatest year. We stood on this 10th hole and I thought where is he (Woods) aiming here. It was downwind left to right, but it was a big right to left dog leg. He is aiming 20 yards out of bounds and I am thinking what is he doing here.

“He hits this big bomb fade. We get down there and he has Duval and I by 80 yards. Tiger is 40 yards short of the green. Duval turns around, looks at me and goes, ‘and that is why he has won three majors this year’.”

The playing captain

Woods kept everyone guessing over his participation in the Presidents Cup. He took to signing off his regular blog by crossing out ‘captain’ and writing ‘playing captain’, a tease designed to heighten the mystery and simultaneously fuel interest in the event.

As captain, he would have the ultimate say. Injury struck him again following his Masters win but a victory in Japan last month ended the debate. If there was one at all. Woods selected himself to play at Royal Melbourne and his playing presence has ensured the fairways will be lined and the galleries will be deep.

“The only time I ever watch golf on TV is either when he was playing, or it is Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka,” Australian veteran Peter Senior said. “If I turn on the TV and those guys aren’t in the field, I turn it off. I always watch Tiger. I watched him so many times on the practice fairway at majors. I just sat there for an hour watching him hit balls. I am just amazed at how consistent his ball flight was height-wise. The best players in the world have always hit the ball the same height because they can control their distance.

“There are only two guys in the world that I think were the best flag-high hitters — one was Tiger, the other was Bernhard Langer They would hit it flag-high every time. So they had super control of their ball and that is why they were such good players.”

Woods isn’t the same player in comparison to what he once was. Koepka knocks it further. So do a multitude of players.

Technology has closed the gap. Age is the other great leveller. Woods has lost distance off the tee in comparison to his colleagues, but he has it between the ears. The mind can be a powerful thing in sport and few minds are as strong as that on top of Woods’ shoulders.

He will need every bit of that nous over coming days. The Americans will arrive on Monday as heavy favourites to retain the Presidents Cup, Woods’ presence just one of many factors in their favour.

Els has attempted to level the playing field by suggesting that Woods doesn’t carry the same intimidation he did in his pomp.

Players don’t fear him like they once did. Woods is no doubt listening and steeling himself for the challenge. Heaven help those who stand in his way.

“I don’t know how it is going to work being captain and player at the Presidents Cup,” Parsons said.

“I think it might be a liability. The intensity that the captain takes on, the emotion the captain takes on. It is so intense and also at the same time can he do that job while playing?

“I suppose if anyone can do it, Tiger can. I think there are four or five things I have said in my life (that have come back to haunt me) — I remember in ’96 he played the US Open as an amateur. I was playing. They were going on saying Tiger would win eight majors. I said they are full of shit. This guy will never win a US Open — he hits it way too wide and too far. He has won two of those.

“He keeps proving people wrong. Did I think he would win a major again? I didn’t know. He was either going to come back or dissolve.”

Woods has come back all right. He has roared back. Brace yourself Melbourne.