Tiger Woods, probably the most talented golfer of a generation and definitely the most notable, has cinched his fifth US Masters title after a tumultuous decade on and off the green.
[jwplayer e2C3JUY4]
First, the technical details: Woods, 43, made two-under par on the final round to secure a score of 70.
His 13-under par total score of 275 was good enough to notch a one-shot win over his nearest opponents, the tied-for-second trio of Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Xander Schauffele.
The importance of the moment is best expressed by fan reactions at the final hole. Here’s the moment he sunk the ball and notched his first US Masters victory since 2005, and his first major title in 11 years:
Roaring back.#themasters pic.twitter.com/nlTwxWJW8X
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2019
Much has been made of the parallels between Woods’ embrace of his son, Charlie, and his hug with his own father after his 1997 win.
“To have my kids there, it’s come full circle,” Woods said after the win.
“My dad was here in 1997 and now I’m the dad with two kids here.”
A moment between a father and a son.#themasters pic.twitter.com/Ft0ta2mD5o
— The Masters (@TheMasters) April 14, 2019
Winning a major golf tournament is impressive enough, but much has been made about Woods’ comeback to the highest levels of the sport.
In 2009, news broke that Woods cheated on his wife Elin Nordegren in a string of extramarital affairs. As more women came forward to share their stories, corporate sponsors abandoned the still-dominant athlete. Woods would eventually seek treatment for sex addiction.
Amid that turmoil in his personal life, Woods’ game floundered. The American also suffered numerous injuries which inhibited his ability to play.
In 2017, following a series of major back surgeries, Woods was found unconscious in his car. Despite returning a blood alcohol reading of 0.00, Woods said a potent mixture of prescription pain medication led him to operate the vehicle in a less-than-safe manner.
Amid all of that, his ranking dropped to 1,199 and the former World #1 contemplated retirement. Two years on, he’s notched a victory many people thought impossible.
Shame about the past decade, but there you go.
