Marquette, MI – April 15, 2019 – was 5 years old in April of 1997, when Tiger Woods won his first green jacket. I was at my Aunt Nancy’s for a family Sunday dinner, and we were all watching the Masters. I was far too young to understand the significance of what was happening, but I vividly remember my mom and dad being in awe of how Tiger was obliterating the field.
From that moment on, I was a Tiger Woods fan. My first ever golf set featured a “Tiger” head cover. It was of an actual Tiger, but a nod to Woods. I rooted for Tiger every Sunday. I remember where I was when I found out about the car crash on Thanksgiving weekend. And everything that has happened since – the arrest/mugshot, the back surgeries, the Tiger Woods that was golfing that I was completely unfamiliar with.
He was done. He was never going to be that guy again.
And then yesterday, by some sort of miracle, Tiger Woods won his 5th green jacket and 15th major. I was struck with an emotion that I have never felt while watching sports. I was holding back tears.
This man was my idol growing up. He was Superman, he was unbreakable. I tried to associate myself with his excellence. And then he broke, and some of my spirit broke with that.
When he sank his putt on 18, to win the Masters, it brought me to a different place. I have grown a lot as a person in the last 22 years, since that 1997 Masters. But yesterday, I was a kid again. A kid at a Sunday family dinner, something I don’t get much of anymore.
I was the kid that wanted to be Tiger every summer Wednesday at Junior Golf at Red Fox Run. Yesterday I was transported to a time and place that seems so familiar, but yet so long ago. The magic of sports is that, yesterday wasn’t just a win for Tiger – it was a win for all of us that looked up to and wanted to be Tiger through our childhood.
We saw our Superman on top once again.
