by Reggie Fullwood
Most of us have dealt with tragedy and mistakes in life – some happen in the public eye and others are more private affairs. Tiger Woods had a fall from grace that was monumental.
Perhaps one of the most well known sports figures of all time – we watched Woods deal with the public failure of his marriage, dozens of women claiming to have inappropriate relationships with him, a DUI arrest, major health issues and struggles on the golf course.
Maybe monumental isn’t a strong enough word, but take it from someone who has dealt with major mistakes and disappointments in a very public light – it has been an extremely tough road for Woods.
Trust me, I know.
It is extremely difficult for you and your family when you are constantly being berated in the media for your shortcomings and failures.
But through God and prayer and the support of family and friends, we can overcome tragedy and letdowns. That’s why Tiger’s victory at the Master’s Golf Tournament on Sunday was so profound. His win was a resounding slap in the face of those who said that he or anyone like him could not come back from catastrophe.
It is always hard to appreciate the struggle when you are going through it. A friend would send me a bible verse almost daily when I was dealing with my own personal challenges. I am still constantly reminded of James 1, verse 2, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials and of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
And that’s what Tiger was able to do – preserve through the downfall. Maya Angelou once said, “You may encounter many defeats, but you must not be defeated. In fact, it may be necessary to encounter the defeats, so you can know who you are, what you can rise from, how you can still come out of it.”
After taking the world by storm as a teenager when he began his professional golfing career, Tiger Woods seems to be the Michael Jordan of his sport.
In many eyes, there was no doubt that he would go down as the best to ever play the game. And then came the injuries and personal problems – very public personal problems.
Sports journalist Bomani Jones touched on the dichotomy of the Woods situation when he said, “Nothing displays America’s collective ability to compartmentalize quite like a Tiger Woods victory.”
And that’s the problem with this great country that we all love so. One-minute people are tearing you down and the next minute they are screaming your name as if you are the seconded coming.
Golf is a game that requires great skill, but even more mental toughness. Tiger did seem to loose his edge as he went through a tough divorce and even harsher media coverage of his every move. Combine those distractions with a number of injuries and the man who was once the best in the world by a long shot is no longer able to compete.
Although Woods is still fairly young at age 43, golf has become a young man’s game, and Woods has suffered from chronic back and leg pains over the past few years. Due to previous surgeries and hernias, he had his bottom lower-back disc severely narrowed, causing sciatica and severe back and leg pain.
After his last surgery two years ago, the now 15-time major champion was very optimistic in a statement released last week.
“The surgery went well, and I’m optimistic this will relieve my back spasms and pain,” Woods said via his website. “When healed, I look forward to getting back to a normal life, playing with my kids, competing in professional golf and living without the pain I have been battling so long.” He said.
Woods has an amazing 81 PGA Tour victories (15 majors), but has undergone double-digit surgeries on his knees and back (three disc procedures removing him from the PGA Tour for 16 months). That is enough to make even the toughest person give up the golf clubs, but based the last two years – Tiger’s not done yet.
Tiger has been transformative, and the impact he has had on the game, as well as the people who watch it, transcends the stats. He helped introduce a new generation of people to the sport and has had a direct impact on African American interest in golf. Most fans of the sport are hoping that he has a few more good years left in the tank or should we say in the back.
Whether you love or hate Tiger Woods, his come back should inspire.
Whether he embraces being an African American or not shouldn’t matter at this point either because he has had a profound impact on black culture regardless. His journey as been tumultuous at times, but his perseverance through it all is definitely worth celebrating.
Signing off from First Tee Golf Course in North Jax,
Reggie Fullwood
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