I still can vividly remember watching the Iron Bowl on television three seasons ago, when a breaking news story cut short one of the commercial breaks. A CBS broadcaster came unto the screen, reporting that Tiger Woods had been involved in a single car accident in the early hours of the morning. While the news was concerning, it was just a minor accident, and Tiger was said to have received only very minor injuries. It seemed, from the original details of the situation, that this was, at most, just an example of how even the most dominant of professional athletes can, just like us, get into a fender bender every once in a while.
Unfortunately for Tiger and his fan base around the world, the story did not end there. In the weeks to follow, information began to surface about the events surrounding the accident, turning the story into much more than anyone could have ever imagined. Juicy details of numerous affairs, multiple mistresses and an enraged spouse began to be reported from the media, leaving sports fans wondering if they were watching “SportsCenter” or a new episode of “Desperate Housewives.” But this was not a TV show or a falsified tabloid story. This was a man’s mistake being put into the spotlight and being exposed for the world to see. In just a short time span, the image of Tiger went from the awe-inspiring picture of him hobbling across the green at Torrey Pines, sealing an unlikely U.S. Open victory, to him sitting behind the all-too-familiar microphones with an ashamed look on his face, apologizing for his scandalous transgressions. The face of golf, the richest athlete in the world, began to face a challenge much tougher than anything he had ever gone against. As his fans and supporters around the world began to lose faith in the man whom they had, through the years, seen grow into one of the best golfers ever to live. A tough road to redemption lay ahead for the 14-time major winner.
Fast forward to today. It is now the start to this year’s Masters, the biggest stage in the golf world, and all eyes are once again focused directly on Tiger. After struggling in the time since his November 2009 accident and the events that followed, winning has become an anomaly for the man who once stood alone as the world’s No. 1-ranked golfer. With Tiger essentially out of the picture, players like Rory McIlroy have taken advantage of the opportunity and are emerging as the best players in the world. But I think that sports fans will agree on one thing: It’s just not the same without Tiger. Professional golf seems to have lost some of its luster and excitement without having Tiger there. Whether you are rooting for or against him, it’s quite amazing to witness his ability to either blow away the rest of the field with his dominant performances or to make an incredible challenge for the rest of the competition.
It’s not that it isn’t exciting to see different golfers have the opportunity to win; it just almost seems cheap that they didn’t have to get past Tiger to do it. After hearing endless amounts of analysis and predictions about what could happen this weekend, it all seems pointless until we find out which Tiger will decide to show up at Augusta, especially on Sunday. Will it be the one who won two straight green jackets and is on the heels of Jack Nicklaus’ records? Or will it be the Tiger who has been hidden in the shadows of his personal life and struggling to be at full, competitive strength?
If the Tiger who dominated the PGA for so long decides to come to play, I would put my money on him over the rest of the field any day. It will mean the return of the game’s best athlete to his rightful position on top of the sport. I can only hope that if this does happen, people will be able to once again look at him and think of one his amazing feats on the golf course, instead of the times where he reached his lowest points.
Brad Tipper is a sophomore majoring in political science and economics. His column runs biweekly on Thursdays.
