Perhaps you heard the roar this afternoon. After all, it probably stretched from Augusta, Georgia to wherever you are.
Tiger Woods won The Masters again. Tiger Woods won a major tournament again. Tiger Woods took out an entire field of competitors again. Tiger Woods had crowds worked up to a complete frenzy again. Tiger Woods is back on top again.
Yes, this is the same Tiger Woods who saw his personal life implode due in large part to his selfish behavior and then saw his professional career implode due in large part to health problems.
This is the same Tiger Woods who many said during the peak of his career would go on to break every record in the game, but also the same Tiger Woods who at one point just a few years ago said he was done.
This is the same Tiger Woods who many love, and many…well, don’t. I get it, not everyone will be happy about his win today. But, I am.
You see, I relate to broken people. I am one.
I like seeing broken people pick up the pieces and find a renewed sense of purpose. I like comeback stories. I like watching people with an undying desire to win do exactly that. I like that a guy who’s basically the same age as me just won the biggest prize in his sport; one of the biggest prizes in all of sports. I like that it happened 11 years since he last won a major tournament and 14 years since he last won this tournament. I like watching the great ones do what they do.
I was rooting for Tiger from my recliner all day today. What a thrilling final round it was. I shouted and yelled when he made that final putt but I’ll admit, my cheers turned to tears afterward. If you missed it, here’s what happened next.
Tiger’s reaction afterward – jubilation, relief, and who knows how many other emotions after such a long road where he hit rock bottom in life. That’s some good stuff, right there. Perhaps you have gone through some tough times in your life and by God’s grace have found your way to the other side of it. You might relate.
But, the moment he hugged his son and the excitement he felt to share the special moment with him…wow. All the other things I mentioned liking earlier take a back seat to that.
“It means the world to me,” Woods said, wearing another green jacket, “their love and their support. I just can’t say enough how much that meant to me throughout my struggles when I really just had a hard time moving around. Just their infectiousness of happiness, you know.“
As someone who loves being a parent and someone whose children have meant more to me through the ups and downs of my life than I have time to write here, this was my favorite moment from today. I can relate to that infectious happiness kids provide and how much it means to get to experience that.
So glad they all got to experience today’s celebration together. Bravo, Tiger. Enjoy it.
positively second 