A Masterful Comeback: Tiger Woods wins his first major since 2008

The comeback is complete.

Overcoming injuries on the course that many felt would finish his career, and off-course drama that left emotional scars, Tiger Woods won his 15th major by capturing the green jacket at The Masters in dramatic style.

Hugging his kids after making a bogey on the final hole to finish at 13-under, one ahead of Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and Xander Schauffele, Woods finished what is surely one of the most incredible comebacks in sports history. After four back surgeries, the most recent in 2017, many thought Woods would never return to competitive golf.

But a resurgent and healthy Woods was patient in the final round of the Masters, which was pushed up to the morning to deal with pending weather. Woods won his fifth green jacket with both of his children watching on. Woods’ son, Charlie, was not even born when the golfer won his last major in 2008.

“To have my kids there—it has come full circle,” he said. “My dad was here in ’97, and now I’m a dad with two kids here.”

Heading into the final round, Woods said his desire to win was as prevalent as ever: “That hasn’t changed,” said Woods, who played in the final group with British Open winner Francesco Molinari and Tony Finau. “I’m just thankful to be able to come back here and play again.”

But he didn’t just show up—he demonstrated some classic Tiger, carefully taking apart a course he knows as well as anyone.

After a relatively nondescript front nine, Woods entered the back nine at Augusta one behind Molinari, who appeared that he wouldn’t make any missteps. But when both Finau and Molinari found the water on the devilish par 3 12th, Woods suddenly found himself with a piece of the lead.

“I was just trying to plot myself around the golf course,” Woods said after the round. “All of a sudden I had the lead on 18, and I was just trying to make a five.”

Patient—that’s how Woods described his round, which saw a packed leaderboard that included Koepka, Patrick Cantlay, Jason Day and Dustin Johnson all trying to better Tiger. But Woods’ run of birdies on the final nine on 13, 15 (where he took the lead) and 16, where he nearly made a hole-in-one, meant he went into the final hole with a two-shot lead after Koepka couldn’t convert a birdie put on 18.

What does the win mean to Woods? Tiger said the victory, which comes 11 years after his last major championship at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, was among his greatest achievements in a masterful career.

“It is one of the hardest I’ve had to win just because of all that’s transpired in the last couple of years to come back and play,” he said. “I was able to seal the deal today.”

What’s in the bag

The return of the mock turtle neck: Wearing his traditional Sunday red, Nike outfitted Woods in  mock turtlenecks throughout the week. And yes, we’ve got them.

Driver: TaylorMade M5 460 9.5 degrees
3-wood: TaylorMade M5 13 degrees
5-wood: TaylorMade M5 19 degrees
Irons: (3-PW) TaylorMade P7TW
Wedges: TaylorMade Milled Grind 56 and 60 degrees
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2
Ball: Bridgestone Tour B XS

 

 

 

 

 

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