Written by I wish Tiger Woods well in his recovery. The news of his accident was shocking. Coming just a little over a year after Kobe Bryant’s tragic death, we all wondered if we had lost another of our sports heroes too soon. Fortunately, this time, the accident wasn’t fatal. However, questions are starting to arise about whether he may have been asleep at the wheel. Tiger’s recovery will be made more difficult by dealing with an investigation and another chapter played out by the media in his complicated saga.
It struck me as odd that the first picture and caption in this story were about whether a comeback is possible. Yet, I have heard this over and over after the accident. Why are we so obsessed with Tiger’s chase to overtake Jack Nicklaus’ record for majors wins? We all know he is already the GOAT. Why is there so much pressure on him to prove it to us once more?
I blame the culture of professional golf. Tiger playing means Tiger is making people money. Even more when he wins, and it has been this way for almost 25 years. No matter what happens to Tiger, the conversation is always about the golden eggs rather than taking care of the goose.
The recent HBO documentary on Tiger does a lot to explain how the pressure to succeed in golf has dominated Tiger’s life. Initially by his father and later by the public after Earl’s passing. It paints a picture of Tiger always being under pressure to meet high expectations. People viewed as distractions get pushed aside. Focus on the recovery, not the cause of the injury, accident, controversy, or the people. When is he going to be back? We need more golden eggs! The networks, the sponsors, and the fans all feed this culture.
I love golf, and I am one of those fans who have closely watched Tiger’s career. The documentary had an impact on me. How had I forgotten all of the awful episodes and the way he mistreated people? Why did we overlook all of these red flags? Why is it so crucial for him to be playing in the next major?
Today’s golf game is much more exciting to watch as a fan than when Tiger dominated the sport. There are multiple dominant players like Dustin Johnson, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka, John Rahm, and Rory McIlroy who could win each week. Bryson Dechambeau has created excitement with his long drives fueled by his workout routine and a scientific approach to the game. There is a new breed of exciting young players in Colin Morikawa, Matthew Wolff, Scottie Scheffler, and Victor Hovland. Isn’t it better to have a strong field instead of one dominant force?
At the same time, another narrative has appeared. A new Tiger has emerged. The golden eggs this version creates are more about his impact on others than ratings and revenues. He is a joyful father. We watched him embrace his children after the miraculous comeback win at the Masters in 2019. We saw him play with Charlie as his partner in a tournament last December. He looks so happy in these situations—pure joy rather than the exuberant relief of draining a long putt to prove his greatness once again. We see the same happiness we saw in the documentary as he danced with his high school girlfriend and her family.
The new Tiger accepts his role as a mentor. In nearly every interview after one of the rising stars wins a tournament, they credit Tiger as their inspiration growing up. Morikawa was in tears explaining how much it meant to him to win that day as the sport honored Tiger after his accident. Players he has inspired fill the leader boards of each tournament.
Also, Tiger has emerged as an ambassador of the sport and is active in philanthropy. He and Phil even get along now. I like the new Tiger, and he seems to like this role. I hope the recovery goes quickly. When he is ready, he can resume the pursuit of his goals. I hope he makes good choices. He is only 45, and we all want him to be around for a while. There is nothing left for him to prove. We may want him to break more records, but we need Tiger to take care of himself.
There are many more golden eggs yet to come out of this GOAT.