How Tiger Woods kissed his second act and fell in love with golf again

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The burden of fame never faded, but Tiger Woods has shown a softer side, a more appreciable prospect in recent years. Never was this more the case in December, when the joy of a father playing golf with his son could not have been more evident.

The PNC Challenge with 11-year-old Tiger and Charlie playing golf in front of a national television audience will have to do so for the foreseeable future. It was like witnessing a mini tiger for a few days, dressed the same as his father, mimicking the walk, manners, swing, and even heels. Tiger shone when Charlie made an eagle on his own ball on the first day of the event. He looked that way too, as they finished the tournament, the memory of a lifetime.

What happened on Tuesday brought all of this to light as details of major injuries, particularly to the right leg, were revealed after hours of surgery following a car crash in which the vehicle of Woods rode several times.

That Tiger got out of it and was flagged by his team as alert is significant given the footage we have all seen of his car; the result could have been much worse. Any discussion of returning to competitive action is simply to venture into dark territory, a place with no clear path. It is impossible to know now what to expect, both in the days and weeks to come, as well as in the future.

“I think the only thing that really matters now is her well-being, her recovery, her family, the level of support that we provide to her,” Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner, told The Concession. , site for this week’s World Golf Championship event. “Listen, when Tiger wants to talk golf, we’ll talk about golf, but I think right now all of our effort has to be around support. ”

By Thursday afternoon, the shock and dismay at the WGC Workday Championship had become reality and relief. There was still disbelief, followed by the realization that Woods was in bad shape. There, too, there was the important truth that he is alive.

Of course, he won’t be among the players anytime soon, and knowing that the game’s biggest star will be missing from the action is a stark reminder of what he brings to the sport.

“He means a lot to the players,” said Brooks Koepka, who was in a memorable duel with Woods at the 2018 PGA Championship in Bellerive. “He means a lot to the tour. He’s the one who brings the fans. He’s the reason 90% of us play here. The only reason the sponsors are here is because of him.

“The tour – everything they’ve done is basically because of Tiger. Without him our game is way behind. So everything we do is because of him.”

It comes at a time when it was clear that Woods was reaching a different stage in his golfing life. He liked jokes among other competitors, something he avoided with a passion in his heyday. He loved to give players a hard time, make jokes and take back.

Several years ago, before all of Woods’ injuries, I had the rare opportunity to speak at length with him during the pro-am for a European Tour event in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. There were only a handful of spectators following, and the topic of players that Woods had consulted for advice in his youth was one that he adopted.

On his first visits to Augusta National in 1995 and 1996, and again the year he first won it as a pro, Woods sought out the legends of the game. He played with Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. He sought advice from Raymond Floyd and Jose Maria Olazabal. He soaked everything.

And then he asked, “How come I never get questions from young people?”

My response: “Because they’re afraid to ask.”

The wall Woods built around him was often impenetrable. There was little conversation. Only the closest of relatives knew him.

That ice finally started to melt after he returned from spinal fusion surgery to play a full schedule in 2018. Woods knew this procedure wasn’t a guarantee. In fact, at one point he admitted, “I thought I was done.” He took this opportunity to play again. He was supported by the young guys in his South Florida neighborhood – Justin Thomas, Rickie Fowler – who were suddenly pushing him to play and choose his brain.

For those who got to play with him for the first time, they had an experience they will never forget.

Austin Cook, then in his second year of touring, played with Woods in August at the Northern Trust and felt by the scores after three rounds he could play with Tiger.

“When I saw the message that I was paired with him, I must have taken a deep breath,” he said. “I knew I would be nervous. I was going to play in front of the guy I had always looked up to, my idol on the golf course. I will always remember this.

“He was a really nice guy. He answered my questions, started conversations, never pissed me off. For a guy in his place, I understand. It was pretty cool.”

Woods belittled himself for all the attention, then saying “that just means I’m old.”

But he clearly understood what it meant to them, posing for photos after the rounds, signing autographs for the guys he had just played against.

That summer, Woods was bitterly disappointed that he couldn’t keep the lead at Carnoustie, where he led the Open in the last nine but ultimately tied for sixth. His daughter, Sam, was there, as was Charlie. They were old enough to understand what their father did for a living.

“I know they know how much this championship means to me and how good it is to play again,” he said.

And he won again, winning the 2018 Tour Championship for his 80th career victory. Then, of course, came the epic victory at Augusta National in 2019, his fifth Masters victory and his 15th major title.

“I don’t think people by now realize the struggle and the things he had to go through to get to this point and win Augusta in 2019,” said Rory McIlroy, who recalls a lunch in 2017 with Woods after the fusion surgery Tiger could barely get up to walk in. “Look, I don’t want to take anything away from what Ben Hogan did after his car crash or any of the other comebacks athletes had in other sports, but at the moment I can ‘I’m thinking of a better return to the sport than the trip he made from that lunch we had in 2017 to win the Masters a few years later. ”

Woods was back, and Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler and some of the others he played with in South Florida enjoyed getting to know their idol. They sought his advice, and unlike those times earlier in his career, Woods was ready to share his knowledge.

The fact that he was opening up more to the masses, not just other players, but also fans and the media, gave a clear indication that he was grateful for a chance he once thought was impossible.

Things took a turn for the worse in 2020. After an incredible end to 2019 with an 82nd PGA Tour victory and a starring role in the Presidents Cup, Woods has fallen. His back was starting to bother him more frequently. The pandemic interrupted the season. He never felt comfortable playing without fans. Finally, another return procedure was necessary.

Prior to this microdiscectomy, however, he played in the PNC Championship with Charlie, who has since turned 12. Tiger was in pain. Her son became the star of the show. It was revealing to see Tiger share a rare personal side. Uncomfortable talking about it, Woods nonetheless beamed with pride.

The hope was that improving Charlie’s game – they had often played together during the pandemic – would push Dad to make sure his own game stayed sharp.

Now, however, we end up with those pleasant images of Team Woods in red, with the beaming smile, the punches, and the good times. And we have a lot of time to wait and wonder if we’ll ever see Tiger Woods playing golf again.



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