2022 Masters: A legend that defines success only as victory, Tiger Woods inspires by refusing to stop competing

AUGUST, Ga. – Tiger Woods lifted himself from the golf cart that carried him from the tournament practice area to the front of the most famous clubhouse in the world and took off his hat as he walked through its front door. A minute later, he hobbled through the back door of the same clubhouse and headed for the practice hole next to the first tee. On the way, he stopped to hug his mother, and the human wall in front of him seemed to divide the Red Sea for the very famous man in red and black.

Tiger Woods scored a second straight goal of 6 more than 78 on Sunday afternoon at the 2022 Masters, a score that is merely the footnote to one of the most historic four innings games we’ve ever seen at a tournament. major championship from someone who didn’t win the tournament.

Woods became increasingly incapacitated as the week passed. His hitchhiking Thursday morning became a complete limp on Sunday afternoon. This was not unexpected for someone who, this time last year, watched the event from a bed that you can control with a remote.

It’s hard to watch though – this proud and mighty champion who holds the green jacket five times, hits the ball four times and struggles to hit 301 (+13) over the course of four days at Augusta National – it also reveals his insatiable desire to compete and gratitude for simply being able to do so on 72 holes.

“I had similar questions [about whether I could complete four rounds]. It’s an unbelievable feeling to just have patrons and supporters there,” Woods told CBS after leaving the field on Sunday. I didn’t exactly play my best there, just the support there – appreciation from all the fans – I don’t think words can really describe that with my position over a year ago and my outlook at that time.

“To finish here and be able to play all four rounds, even a month ago, I don’t know if I can succeed. I think that’s a positive thing. I have some work to do, and I’m looking forward to it.”

In the age of Trackman, where players worry about dialing in their spins as if they were playing instruments on a spaceship, the “I’ll find a way to beat you” feature my best” is increasingly rare.

Tiger hit a lot of people. On Thursday, he knocked out eight of the top 12 in the world. On Friday, he cut (for the 22nd time in a row at masters) play first professional tournament in 17 months; 39 peers went home early. His week doesn’t have golf highlights, just highlights that aren’t the most important part of his week.

Two standout cases in one week are enough small moments to read an entire book. The first came on Thursday when Woods was asked what he would consider a successful week at Augusta. His short one-word answer is both humble and tells the whole story of the journey he’s been through… without describing it in detail.

Tiger, I realize you only define victory one way – and that’s winning the tournament – but is this a win for you, just show up and be competitive like you did ?

Tiger Woods: “Yes.”

On Saturday afternoon it was cold, windy and uncomfortable as it was in Augusta perhaps since Zach Johnson won the 2007 Masters. The conditions weren’t exactly picturesque for a man whose right foot contains a lot of metal. than his golf bag. Tiger did not play well. He raced past 4 on the day and finished 12th, where he last had 10 in the final round of the 2020 Masters, his final round before returning to Augusta this week.

This time Woods made two. The roar from that hole was perhaps the loudest on an eerily quiet Saturday. He waved back to the crowd of patrons watching him play his way through Amen Corner, and I insist that the most impressive part of Tiger’s week was how, despite the pain and some muscle chance to get out, he refused to pull the rip cord. His folding refusal, out of pride for both himself and the game, stands out above all his great gifts.

“Never give up. Always follow your dreams,” Woods said this week when he was asked what he hopes people will learn from his Masters performance. “I fight every day. Every day is a challenge. Every day brings different challenges to all of us. I wake up and start the fight again.”

It’s harder to notice when he’s 24 years old and hits every shot you can imagine in command because although his mind and ability to bend reality in a direction has helped him achieve many victories in those 82 wins, but they’re not preeminent. When you hit it further than anyone has ever seen, while showing off the brushstrokes of Seve Ballesteros and the art of Lee Trevino, who else notices?

Now that his physical gifts have diminished and his body won’t allow him to hit all the shots that make him the five-time champion of this tournament, the assertion that he can still be great is more obvious.

This is no different from what we saw from Phil Mickelson last year. I watched him hit the flops on his own Tuesday before the Masters in a hidden corner of Augusta National. After all, a man has nothing to crush but his love for the game and his lust for greatness. A month later, he won the PGA championship.

I don’t know that Tiger has another major championship on his mind, and if his physique doesn’t improve from here, he almost certainly won’t. However, Woods proved this week that he will keep showing up.

Because when you take everything else away from Tiger Woods – the fame, the hype, the victories, and the countless troubles he got himself into – you’re left with a man obsessed with one thing. .

Tiger Woods doesn’t want to win to the point of burning out to compete. When he appeared on Tuesday claiming he could win the sixth blue jacket, what he really meant was that he believed he could. compete for a.

For Tiger, the proof is that throughout his career, competing and winning have been virtually synonymous. The problem for Woods is that they won’t be able to continue as his muscular body will begin to separate those realities.

What we see at Augusta National this week is perhaps the rarest thing in the sport: An all-time champion would rather return to the arena – even at 50% – than admire it all. he achieved.

As the giant gallery stood and shouted at the 72nd hole on Sunday while the leaders beat the first tee shot right after all, their great champion – maybe the greatest champion – has pulled himself to a memorable finish, at least on the leaderboard.

No one looks at Tiger Woods’ score because no one cares what it says. Instead, they were delighted – just like him – that Tiger Woods, after 14 months of hell and no return, was able to step into the arena once more to do what he did better. anyone in history: competition.