Tiger Woods culminated this season with a win in the final event of the year; his first in over five years and his 80th career PGA Tour event victory. Read that over a few more times and just let it sink in. If you don't believe me, let alone understand the importance of this event for all of professional sports, take a look at the video I have attached here of Woods as he is walking to the green on the final hole of the day knowing full well that the victory is his. Words cannot describe the emotion I felt as I watched this spectacle unfold. But, we wouldn't have a story now, would we? Alas, I will describe what I witnessed other people experience as they watched Tiger.
I was in a pub on Sunday evening during the final day of the tournament, it was almost close to midnight and I was ready to leave. But I couldn't, and neither could a hundred other sports fans, college drunks and retired old men who stared in amazement at the TV as they displayed the golf. I would like to think that the people in the pub with me were rooting for Woods, eager to see the final moments of his arduous comeback unfold. But I knew that wasn't the case. They were rooting for their countryman and the world's number one golfer Adam Scott who was also playing.
After every display of Scott on the TV, the people in the pub cheered and applauded their man. I sat quietly. Biting my tongue waiting for the next clip of Woods to be shown. However, as the number of holes dwindled down and it was appearing more and more likely that Tiger would be victorious, the TV began to show more and more of him.
Now, I was to believe that the spectators in the pub would be going home in disappointment as their hometown hero was not going to win the event. To my amazement though, this was not actually the case. Quite the opposite actually. With more and more television time for Woods, people began to pile into the pub by the boatloads.
Many began to occupy the surrounding booths that accompanied our location and even more began to stand in order to get a good view of the TV's surrounding the venue. The swarm of people began to give slight applauses whenever Woods would hit a shot. Meanwhile, I was on the edge of my seat with each moment. I've seen sports comebacks fall just short, I was fearful this would be another incident like that.
Until it wasn't. Until Woods, and thousands of other spectators on the course alongside him glided up to the final green. With a grin on his face, Woods knew he had proven to the world that he was back.
As Tiger knocked in the final putt to solidify his comeback win, the entire pub erupted in applause. It was a moment I will never forget. Tiger Woods culminated this season with a win in the final event of the year; his first in over five years and his 80th career PGA Tour event victory.