WHO’S THE DADDY?

Tigermania’s back, but the world has changed since Woods last reigned supreme... at least his kids now know he’s a real winner

AN updated version of Tigermania will return to the Ryder Cup this week more than 20 years after the American first caused pandemonium in the world of golf.

Woods said the chaotic crowd scenes for his victory march up the final fairway at the Tour Championship on Sunday were reminiscent of his wins at the 1997 Masters and at the Western Open later that summer.

“But not to this fevered pitch,” he said after his emotional triumph in Atlanta on Sunday. “This was different. I guess it’s different now because the art of clapping has gone, right? You can’t clap when you’ve got a cell phone in your hand.” And asked if his latest triumph would break the internet, the 42-year-old said: “Well, when I came out here there was no internet!”

These are different times but Woods, wearing his trademark red, held on to a Sunday lead to lift a trophy just like he always did in the old days.

Much has happened since his last win in August 2013, including four back operations and an arrest for driving under the influence of painkillers in May last year. “Probably the low point was not knowing if I’d ever be able to live pain-free again,” Woods said.

But Sunday’s crowd scenes in Atlanta were a flashback to the turn of the Millennium when Tiger Woods was the biggest sports star on earth.

He said his 80th PGA Tour win was important for his children Sam Alexis (11) and Charlie Axel (9).

“I think they understand

a little bit of what Dad does now,” said the new world No.13.

“I hadn’t won any tournaments they remember so this will be a little bit different for them.

“To be able to have shared what I did with them at the British Open this year was great. I had a chance, I had the lead. They felt it, that atmosphere. They felt it, and they know what their dad can do on a golf course now.

“It’s not what I used to be able to do. They equated golf to pain because every time I played it would cause me pain. And so now they’re seeing a bit of joy and how much fun it is for me to be able to do this again.”

Physical fragility and fatherhood seem to have changed Woods for the better, more so than his first comeback after his marriage break-up. And, worryingly for Europe in Ryder Cup week, the new Tiger is also more of a team player.

Woods won his first Major by 12 shots and won his last on one leg at the 2008 US Open. But this Tour Championship triumph ranks right up there in his lengthy list of achievements.

“The 80-mark is a big number,” he said, referring to his total of Tour victories. “It’s a damned good feeling. It means a lot more to me now because I didn’t know if I’d ever be out here again playing.

“I appreciate it more than I did because I don’t take it for granted that I’m going to have another decade, two decades, of playing golf at this level.”

Justin Rose, who finished tied for fourth in the Tour Championship, lost his world No.1 spot to Dustin Johnson but had the sizeable consolation of becoming the first Englishman to bank the US$10m FedEx Cup with a birdie at the 72nd hole.

“That was intense,” he said.

“Tiger’s comeback is for real and it’s nice for him to prove that to the world. Jokingly, I said to him: ‘About time!’

“I think this weekend is a pretty good introduction to the Ryder Cup for sure.”