People view sports in different ways. Some can’t seem to live without it, while others would be happy if sports went away.
Some use it as an escape, some to live vicariously through professional athletes and some just plain enjoy cheering on their favorite teams.
Though it doesn’t happen very often, there are those times when a sporting event brings together everyone and whether you are a sports fan or not, you find yourself drawn to the event.
The 1980 Miracle on Ice when the United States took the Gold Medal in ice hockey, highlighted by the semifinal win over the Russians was one. The 1999 United States women’s soccer team winning the World Cup in front of 100,000 people in the Rose Bowl was arguably another.
And last Sunday, Tiger Woods winning the Masters was the most recent.
The 43-year-old Woods has been a polarizing person throughout his life. He was certainly the greatest golfer of his generation and arguably the best of all time. It was never a question of if he would break Jack Nicklaus’ mark of 18 wins in Majors and Sam Snead’s mark of 82 career wins, but rather when he would set those marks.
But then the seemingly invincible golfer saw his world collapse. There was the infamous Thanksgiving incident involving repeated infidelity, ultimately ending with his wife attacking his car with a 9-iron.
From there was reckless driving arrest, as well as four back and knee surgeries. The man who won the U.S. Open in 2008 at Torrey Pines with basically a broken leg was broken, perhaps forever.
Some of us believed he could come back, but for many that was simply wishful thinking to see the excitement of a Tiger charge recaptured. Most of the media and golf fans wrote Tiger off and there were countless stories talking about how Tiger would never win again, be it a Tour event or a Major.
There were flashes of hope throughout the years, but there were also setbacks following almost every ray of hope. Then last year he won the Tour Championship and the Tiger-mania showed signs of resurgence.
If there was a Major that Tiger could have a shot at winning, it would have to be the Masters. He had won it four times before and the course always seemed to be a perfect match for his game.
The tournament started with hope when Woods opened with a two-under 70. In the second round he turned in a four-under 68 and I started hearing from my non-golf fan friends that wanted to know if he had a chance.
The interest had started.
I told one friend that if Tiger was within three shots heading into Sunday, he would win the tournament. He challenged me on the prediction, but I laid out my reasons and come Sunday afternoon, he was the first person to message me and give me props.
A third-round 67 left Tiger two back heading into the final 18 holes. The seemingly unflappable Francesco Molinari had the lead and it seemed like everyone was playing for second.
Saturday night I was talking with some of my golf writer buddies and the conversation turned to that being in a group around Woods on a Sunday when he is in contention is different than being in the same group.
As the final round played out, the Molinari-believers seemed to be right as he was making all the shots and holding his lead. But there was something about Tiger.
It was a new Tiger, one that genuinely seemed to appreciate the fact he was in contention on a Sunday instead of expecting to be there. There was no pressing, but rather patience.
Just keep playing your game and the tournament will come to you. Then came the 12th hole and it did.
Four of the final six players in the final two groups found the water off the tee and suddenly Tiger controlled his own destiny. Like the Tiger of old, he had the tournament in front of him and he seized it, walking away with his first Major in almost 11 years.
Golf was now something everyone talked about Sunday, even most of those people that were waiting for Game of Thrones to makes its season debut were involved. And it was all because of Tiger.
Plain and simple, Tiger moves the needle.
Sunday throughout the morning there were people posting on social media about how incredible the tournament was and these are people I know are not golf fans, but they were drawn.
The are many like my parents that don’t watch golf, but Friday through Sunday, they had the Masters on TV.
People used to look at Tiger as he was invincible or bulletproof. Now people love and cheer for him because they know he’s not, that he has human frailties and he has battled his demons to come back.
It’s about redemption and Tiger has a load of it.
Ten years ago, he still moved the needle in terms of people watching golf, but not with the type of support he is experiencing now. The crowd at the Masters chanting “Tiger,” was unprecedented.
It was as heartfelt a golf crowd as I have seen. Sincere and genuinely emotional. I am still seeing posts from people throughout social media platforms that were at Augusta on Sunday and are still reveling at the magic in the atmosphere.
It was emotional watching it at home and I felt myself start to choke up a bit on the 16th hole all the way through Tiger hugging his son and daughter after putting out on 18.
It was hard not to get emotional. I have written about Tiger for years and even had a chance to write a first-person narrative about following him inside the ropes every day of the WGC American Express Championship in 2005. It was an amazing week to be able to feel the buzz he creates when he steps on the course.
The final day of the Masters this year was a great day for golf and guarantees the next time Tiger tees it up, plenty will be watching! It was the kind of day where everyone felt better about the world.
By Dennis Miller