Augusta National Course was in cheers when the long-reigning king of golf, Tiger Woods made a dazzling comeback by winning his fifth green jacket. The win came after a long wait of 11 years; his last big win was way back in the 2008 US Open.
The exciting final round saw Woods clinching the title with a perfect bogey on the final hole. Finishing 13 under par, a single stroke over Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele got Woods his final victory.
Life came a full circle for him as he won his first major at the same course 22 years ago.
His Thoughts on the Win
“It’s just unreal for me to experience this. My mom was here, she was there in ’97 as well. So I just couldn’t be more happy and more excited and I’m kind of at a loss for words, really.” Woods surely was overwhelmed with this brilliant win.
Creating History
Woods becomes the second golfer in history to have five Masters Titles in his kitty. Only Jack Nicklaus has won more (six). With this win, Woods surpassed the record of Arnold Palmer of four Masters green jackets. Also, he became the second oldest winner of the title at 43. Nicklaus won his last Masters title at 46.
The Back-Story
Woods started his professional golf career as a 20-year-old in 1996. He quickly jumped up the golf rankings, becoming number one in June 1997 in a matter of less than a year. The golfer reigned the golfing circuit throughout the 2000s. He is the longest reigning world number one in golfing history. Further, he became the youngest golfer to clinch his career Grand Slam. To date, he has eight World Golf Championship titles in his kitty.
However, in the late 2000s, personal issues cropped up in the public when Woods was accused of philandering, which resulted in divorce with his then-wife Elin Nordegren. The golfer also suffered injuries during this time which affected his performance.
2011 onwards, his wins were coming in fits and starts. 2018 saw him winning a title at the Tour Championship after a wait of five years. This marked the start of the great comeback of the golfing legend.
The Masters Tournament
The prestigious Masters Tournament that Woods won on 14th April dates back to 1934. Horton Smith was the first winner of the tournament. It is one of the four major golf championships that take place each year, the other three being the US Open, the British Open (Open Championship) and the PGA Championship. The Masters Championship takes place at the Augusta National Golf Club every year in Georgia, USA.
“IT Fits”!
The new winner was felicitated by the 2018 winner Patrick Reed. “It fits,” said the cheerful champion as he slid the green jacket up his sleeves.
Woods’ win is a testimony of the strong willpower of the human mind to overcome the ups and downs that life goes through. His place in the club of the world’s best athletes of all times remains intact. It proves that we are more powerful than our circumstances!
