It doesn’t matter if Tiger Woods ever catches up to Jack Nicklaus
By Mark Carman
Tiger Woods’ win at The Masters was more about his family than chasing down Jack Nicklaus.
The sporting world was turned upside down on Sunday. Grown men and women admitting they were crying across social media platforms. Tiger Woods had finally done it, a Masters champion for the 5th time.
It had been 14 years since Woods was last donned the green jacket at Augusta National, 12 years since he last won a major, the PGA Championship. Now, at 43, a champion once again in 2019.
What was the driving force that kept Tiger pushing forward as he entered his mid-40’s? When he thought he was “done.” When his back was not allowing him to walk, let alone play golf.
ESPN Senior Writer Wright Thompson has a theory and it has nothing to do with chasing that Jack character.
“His children, who he adores, they have never seen him be ‘Tiger Woods’. I think he would like that,” Thompson opined. “I don’t think he really think he gives a crap about catching Nicklaus. I think he would love for his kids to see him be Tiger Woods again. And to get a glimpse of what Dad was like when he was young and invincible.”
There were many memorable moments on Sunday, but none stand out more than Tiger hugging 10-year-old Charlie in his red and black outfit. Just like Tiger his Dad, 22-year ago. His daughter, 11-year-old Sam celebrating as well, fresh off a soccer tournament. Both of Tiger’s children at the Masters watching their Dad for the first time. How much their presence motivated Tiger on Sunday is impossible to measure, but it certainly didn’t hurt.
As for Thompson, the sports figures he has interviewed have been titans of industry. From Tiger to Michael Jordan, Pat Riley, Urban Meyer and more. He chronicles this in his latest book, The Cost of These Dreams-Sports Stories and Other Serious Subjects, which is about the journey to greatness and what happens after.
“I think its trying to make sense out of this math. Most people spend 45% of their life trying to be something, then 10% of their life being it, then 45% of their life having been it,” Thompson explained. “I mean the first time you realize that you are 10-years-old and you are better than everyone else on your T-ball team and that the adults treat you different, you might spend the rest of your life trying to chase that feeling.”
What Thompson is talking about applies to everyone. How do we move forward when the main thing, whatever that is, has changed. Cheers to the journey and moving forward into new opportunities.
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