Tiger Woods: US Masters comeback man Australia-bound
Australia awaits the man held together by metal who climbed a mental mountain back to the top.
The Presidents Cup in Melbourne later this year was already one of the hottest tickets in town. Now, thanks to Woods’ remarkable and defiant win at the US Masters, they don’t come any hotter.
Woods, the captain of the US team, will now be its talisman. The man responsible for arguably the greatest comeback in sport will finish his year in Australia, leading the US team as a playing captain at Royal Melbourne.
How lucky are we? By then, Woods may have added to his mystique with more majors.
Few believed he was capable of winning another, yet his 15th was likely his most satisfying as he closed within three of Jack Nicklaus’s record.
Woods is up and running again, remarkable when you think there was a time when even walking was a difficult and painful experience.
Since his last major win at the 2008 US Open, Woods has undergone four back surgeries, not to mention tumult on the home front and a dose of the chipping yips.
It was hard to imagine him climbing the mountain when he found it difficult to get out of bed. Yet here he is once again, king of the sporting world, some of the biggest names fawning over his feats.
Serena Williams, someone who knows at thing or two about sporting excellence, called it greatness like no other. She wasn’t alone and deservedly so. Woods deserves all the accolades he receives given where he has been.
Fittingly, a truly remarkable comeback was complete at a place where his extraordinary career first took flight. Augusta National is the most feted layout on the planet and Woods cherishes it like no other.
He has now slipped on the green jacket five times and it would be foolhardy to suggest it is the end.
Injuries and indiscretions
It feels more like a new beginning given how far Woods has come in a relatively short time.
He has overcome insurmountable hurdles over the past decade. The injuries were one things, his indiscretions another. His life crumbled only days after a visit to Melbourne a decade ago.
Having won the Australian Masters, he flew home and everything fell apart, most significantly his marriage as a litany of porn stars and cocktail waitresses sold their stories to the ravenous press.
Woods was publicly shamed and mentally scarred.
His apology was broadcast around the globe. Sponsors walked and his reputation suffered. Many questioned whether he would ever find his way out of the darkness.
Then there were the injuries. Not just one, but a slew of them. He eventually underwent fusion surgery on his back but his body kept betraying him.
His game was once indestructible but cracks started to appear. The Australian can still remember attending Woods’ own tournament in Florida five years ago and watching him fluff chip after chip.
It was painful to watch. One can only wonder what was going through his mind.
Winning majors seemed a world away. Woods ploughed on. Slowly but surely, he has climbed his way back.
Golf has seen few like him, maybe none. Nicklaus is in his sights and it would be folly to suggest it is out of reach. This was just like old times, when Woods strode the fairways like a colossus.
When his presence in the final group on Sundays was a given.
When the red shirt and unflappable demeanour monstered his playing partners. The halcyon days have returned and golf is set to enjoy the benefits. So will his rivals. When Woods is flying, so is the sport.
You only had to see the reaction on the 18th green yesterday as Woods sunk the putt that secured another major. The galleries were deep and the roar loud. They chanted his name as he walked off the green and hugged his kids.
Woods signed off with a social media message of his own yesterday. He thanked his family, friends and fans for their support. He claimed to be able to win something like the Masters again is something he would forever be grateful for. Then this:
“This jacket sure is comfortable,” he wrote.
No doubt.
I can’t thank my family, friends and fans enough for their support. Having my family by my side today is something I will never forget. To not only be able to play again, but to be able to win again, is something I will forever be grateful for. This jacket sure is comfortable. pic.twitter.com/LsOUX2dWH1
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) April 14, 2019
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