Tiger Wins the Masters!
At the official Augusta Press conference following the 2019 Masters, the interview opened with a congratulatory and fitting “welcome Home” to Tiger Woods.
Augusta is surely very close to the heart of Tiger. His first major victory, by 12-shots at Augusta in 1997 announced Woods to the world and was witnessed first by Tiger’s father and life mentor, Earl and mother Kultida. 22 years later and 13 years following Earl’s passing, Tiger is now proud father to two young children, Sam (11) and Charlie (10), who both embraced their father to bring comparisons with Tiger’s family moment first time around.
Tiger and Earl at Augusta in 97
For most sportstars, the passing of time inevitably means that past achievements can be honoured but not repeated. Exhibition matches, after-dinner speaking, coaching and commentary provide for extended retirements. For golfers however, hope can endure with advancing years. And with golf, perhaps due to individual scoring, beautiful golf course settings and sturdy competitors, we remember indelibly past successes and wins.
Seve at St Andrews 1984
In his later years Seve recreated his 1984 St Andrews Open celebration with a forearm tattoo. Mickelson too has recently captured his 2004 Masters celebration as his professional logo. These recollections can appear to be a nostalgic tip of the cap to past greatness, but can also a function as anti-ageing cortisone to enhance current performance.
Phil wins at Augusta 2004
For Tiger, the drive to repeat past successes presented instead a mid-life career development plan from the deepest fires of Life Coaching! Tiger’s journey home only required a reconstruction of his body, mind, family, attitude and golf game! Out went the explosive long game, high tempo lifestyle and elusive personality. Instead, Tiger reached out for the friendship of his peer group, embraced the wider golf community and presented a more humble and self-inflicting disposition. Friends like DJ and Rickie nursed him through from the first steps of golfing rehab with informal bounce games and fraternal encouragement. The world’s finest surgeons completed back fusions. And the PGA Tour stepped in with a wild card for Tiger at the Ryder Cup and with Captaincy for the 2019 Presidents Cup to make sure. This was a full scale project to bring home Tiger Woods who went MIA from golf’s top table pretty much since his heroics at Torrey Pines in 2008.
Tiger & Ricky
Tiger’s strategy at the 2019 Masters was a “plodding”, defensive, reel-them-in-slowly approach. Fairway-finders replaced bomber drives. Numerical accuracy replaced flair and flamboyance. Tiger’s game afterall is not comparable to his bravado and fearless play of the 90′s and early 2000′s. Stray drives on the final round on the 2nd, 8th, 10th, 11th and 13th would support this. No eagles or doubles throughout the Tournament. 4 straight bogeys on the tough Par-4 5th. Poor shots and pain now expected and accepted.
Bobby Jones and Old Man Par
As the (joint) course designer of Augusta National Bobby Jones often schooled, “Old Man Par” is the only opponent that we should be concerned about on the course, and the scorecard doesn’t allow for pictures or pride. Tiger appeared to embrace this long-held philosophy at Augusta.
The reception from Augusta’s patrons that greeted Tiger on his final path Home began in earnest on Friday afternoon. Playing partners Hatong Li and Jon Rahm, both world-beaters on their day, were visibly shaken and indeed swept aside by the incredible reaction to Tiger’s second round charge.
For many of the players on Tour, Tiger is now family..a big brother figure to players like Molinari and DJ, and a fatherly figure for Finau and Schauffele. For the patrons of Augusta, Tiger is the long-lost and sometimes prodigal son. Seve preached the same to European Tour press rooms, “we are all like a family on Tour”. Players might well be forgiven for asking the question, how on earth can I beat my “hero Dad” down the stretch at The Masters!
But still they don’t just hand out Green Jackets on sentiment alone. Those wishing to contend must volunteer as stock for Amen Corner soup on the final day, and only the fairest survive! Tiger also needed to overcome early bogeys, treacherous putts and charges from some of the world’s best including US Open Champion & US PGA Champion Koepka and Open Champion Molinari.
Tiger’s victory at Augusta is a gift for the generations. As Brand Snedeker tweeted “thank you Tiger for allowing us to relive precious moments from our youth with our families today”, Tiger’s win breaks down the generation gap as he has done previously with social gaps and ethnic gaps.
The resounding reaction of the patrons, players and of Tiger himself following victory is then perhaps understandable. Celebrations resembled scenes in Zaire in 1973 when Ali reclaimed the heavyweight crown from Foreman, claiming “ I am the Greatest” and “I shook up the world”. Tiger didn’t say as much but he wasn’t half pleased! There is nothing quite like a real life come-back story.
It is indeed a “Win for the Ages” that brings Tiger Woods back Home with the golfing greats and fans worldwide. Well done Team, we got Him back!