The Impossible Triumph
Tiger Woods did the IMPOSSIBLE on April 14, 2019, literally no one believed in him but that did not matter to him. Tiger grinning from ear to ear with his newly fitted Green Jacket surrounding his Sunday Red Nike Golf polo. He did the IMPOSSIBLE! Tiger Woods after spending 3,954 days since his last Major win at the 2008 US Open won the 2019 Masters! The World tweeted out their emotions and congratulations to Tiger. Amazing that one mans story has such an impact on so many others.
This triumph over failure and struggle is a success story we all can appreciate as sports fans and even human beings. I sat there on Sunday afternoon in front of my TV in amazement and speechless. I was so happy for Tiger for getting back to the ultimate TOP of the golf world. Tiger Woods is the reason why I follow golf, the reason why I play golf and the reason why I will want my children to play and love golf.
During Tiger’s prime years of 1997 to 2005 I was at the ages of 8 years old to 15 years old. I remember coming home from church on Sundays to watch Tiger close the deal at almost every tournament it seemed like. After watching him win I would go outside, grab my fathers old clubs and head out to the school yard behind our back yard. I would begin to swing like Tiger Woods and hit that little white golf ball around the school yard not ever having a lesson or a tip on how to play.
I remember playing my first “official” round of golf at the local Par 3 course with my friends in 8th grade. That was the beginning of my love for the game of Golf and to this day I try to play and enjoy it! Watching Tiger be so happy on Sunday was amazing for me. I watched him through his struggles and his mistakes. I just hoped and wished this day would come and it came at the biggest tournament of the year and most poplar golf course in the world.
In 2008, Tiger had it all, he truly did. He was on top of the Golf World, he was on pace to blow by Jack Nicklaus’ Majors record of 18 after winning his 14th Major Title at the US Open. He was going to shatter Sam Snead’s Career PGA Tour wins record of 82. He had the money and the fame. But even then after the worldly things he had a wife and a family that loved him. Close friends who supported him. Nothing was going to get in his way of becoming the greatest golfer this world has ever seen and possibly one of the greatest Athletes ever! The Sports World knew he was going to break all the records at that time but there was one thing standing in his way and that was himself.
The beginning of the dramatic fall was in 2009 when reports of him having affairs with different women began to emerge. He also was involved in a car crash that suggested he had problems with substance abuse. In 2010, Tiger came clean on a lot of the rumors and reports and apologized to his wife and to the world. His wife Elin divorced him rightfully so soon after that and has moved on since. Tiger’s troubles continued after the divorce as he battled injury after injury in his knees and back. With these injuries came medication for the pain and Tiger abused these medications over the years. He continued to make attempts at comebacks but could never regain full health and confidence in his golf game. In 2017, Tiger had the toughest surgery in his life as he had spinal fusion surgery. This surgery was intended to give Tiger the pain relief for him to be able to have just a normal life. Doctors and sports experts doubted that he could play golf at a high level again.
After the surgery Tiger was arrested for driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol. When he was arrested he was found asleep in his running car in the middle of the road. He checked into a rehab facility in Arizona to receive treatment on how to handle the pain medications and his addictions. He was able to complete the rehab and begin his impossible comeback to golf.
All his pains, all his injuries, all his troubles, all his sins, all the negatives in his life have been exposed and discussed by every sports and news media outlet out there. He stood up to them and turned the page when the 2018 PGA Tour season began. Tiger was able to perform well in 2018. He finished 2nd at the PGA Championship and 5th at the The Open Championship. He was able to get a win at the Tour Championship to finish out the 2018 season giving hope to Tiger fans aroud the world that he might be back. Experts were surprised to see him play the entire year. We all just wanted him to compete and finish the season without an injury or an issue in his personal life.
The 2018 season was a huge important step to his comeback. It gave Tiger the belief and confidence in his body to be able to perform like it use to. It gave him the confidence he could hang and compete with this amazing generation of golfers. 2019 began and still no one believed he could win another Major Title at the age of 43. I believed he could win again but I knew it would be so hard because of the field. This generation of golfers are so good and so talented and that would make it difficult for Tiger to complete the ultimate comeback.
The world watched the impossible happen on Sunday. Tiger Woods hoisting that Masters trophy in the air with that gorgeous Green Jacket on his shoulders. His family was able to embrace him after the putt on the 18th green that gave him the victory. The tears of joy that fell from their eyes as they celebrated just like they had won the Masters themselves because that was a team victory from Team Woods. His family never left his side during those years of mistakes. Sure his kids and other family members might have hated him for being dumb and for making their lives more difficult but they never left. Kultida Woods, his mother, who watched her son achieve all this greatness and watched him lose it all. She too was there, she too never left, she too had tears of joy as she watched her son come up that walkway with that huge smile.
Tiger Woods’ life is one to learn from, it is one to understand how hard he worked to become the best golfer in the world. It is a life to understand even how much more he had to work AGAIN after losing it all. Being great is not easy but being great again after losing it all is almost impossible and Tiger Woods did it.
What is next for Tiger Woods? He has his eyes focused on Jack Nicklaus’ record of 18 Major Titles, so watch out Jack!
Follow Craig Tucker on Twitter | @jctucker_3
