Transcendent Tiger
It’s hard to believe 25 years have passed since Tiger’s first Masters, and Major, triumph in 1997. It was a seminal moment in golf and Bill Elliott recounts it so brilliantly within our comprehensive Masters preview section on page 48. As Bill states, it certainly wasn’t the first that golf fans had seen of Tiger, but it was the catalyst that turned his burgeoning celebrity into a fame that would transcend the game and captivate a wider audience within and without the sporting world.
That is what Tiger has done for golf over the last quarter of a century. His athleticism, determination, competitive zeal and box-office appeal have made people outside of golf sit up and take note that ours is a thrilling and challenging sport.
He may not have as many Major Championships to his name as Jack Nicklaus, so the debate of ‘greatest of all time’ can still be held. But to me, one thing is unarguable – Tiger has done more than any other figure to grow the game, expand its appeal and move golf forwards.
As a player, he has set a benchmark for younger golfers to become athletes striving for a combination of power, precision and touch. To be like Tiger, they know they must play with controlled aggression, display absolute on-course focus and, above all, win. His career is the yardstick for achievement within the sport – how many tournaments had Tiger won by that age?
As an iconic figure, his has been the face of golf over three decades and the world has followed his every move – good and bad. In terms of the news, nobody in golf can ‘move the needle’ like Tiger. Even when he’s not playing, he’s the biggest draw in the game. His comebacks, actual and hoped for, garner significantly more digital interest than any other golfing story out there.
And, of course, lest we forget, his exceptional, unparalleled natural ability to hit a ball better than anyone else. Ask stars of the game who is the best they’ve ever seen? It’s a surprise not to hear Tiger’s name rather quickly.
As a phenom, trailblazer, winner, celebrity, comeback king and simply as a unique sporting talent, nobody in the history of golf better fits the moniker of ‘game changer’ than Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods.