When we last saw Tiger Woods on April 14 winning his fifth Masters and first Major in 11 years, all he did was reel us all in. Sneaky Donald Trump then used his office and relationship with Woods to bring the glow and positive world spotlight of Woods’ remarkable victory to the White House by honoring Tiger with the highest honor an American can receive, the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Over the years, U.S. Presidents have so honored superstars 33 times at the White House after their careers. Minnesota historically has just one winner to be so honored, Justice Alan Page in 2018. Trump killed three birds with one stone with Page: He honored a Black man, a state Supreme Court justice, and an NFL Hall of Famer.
Trump also honored the late great Babe Ruth in 2018. When you receive this honor, you go and accept it regardless of your politics. Anyone critical of Tiger for going last week is simply clueless.
It’s not about who selected you or who honors you; it’s about the honor and the office. Woods is the first to be honored while still winning Majors at the top of his game, and he’s just the fourth golfer ever to win it. Woods is only 43 years old, while Justice Page is, I believe, 75, and of course Babe Ruth has long been gone.
This week, Woods will attempt to do what he has done before — win the PGA Championship. Last year, the PGA Tour decided to move the Majors around to take some of the pressure off the end-of-the-season playoff push for the Fed-Ex Cup Playoffs and the President’s Cup. So for the first time in years, the PGA Championship, once known as golf’s last shot at glory among the four Majors, now takes place in May.
Last year, Woods finished second in the PGA, and he was really close. This year, it’s at Beth Page Black in New York, and Tiger has won on this tough, demanding course before.
If Tiger has proven anything in winning 81 career PGA victories, it is that he can win big tournaments multiple times at venues he’s won on before. In fact, he just proved it by winning his fifth green jacket at Augusta.
History offers hope to champions with greatness in their forties. In 1984, Lee Trevino was 44 when he won the PGA Championship. Raymond Floyd was 43 in 1986 when he won the U.S. Open. Hale Irvin won the U.S. Open in 1990 when he was 44. In 1986, Jack Nicklaus won the Masters at age 46, his 18th and final Major. Julius Boros, in 1968 at age 48, won the PGA Championship.
Woods has not played since the Masters. He’s mentally and physically fresh. He knows he can win again, and he’s won multiple majors in the same year before. I believe he’s about to show the world he can continue to do this and do it again — win back-to-back Majors and tie Sam Snead all-time with win number 82.
Reach the MSR staff at msrnewsonline@spokesman-recorder.com.