When I was a kid, there were two camps of golf fans; fans of Tiger Woods, and fans of everyone else trying to beat Tiger Woods. He was an incredible athlete, gifted beyond reason, and (at the time) was a great role model for anyone trying to reach their dreams. That persona is since gone, torn apart by his personal scandals and crumbling body. The Tiger of yester-year could break a leg and win the U.S. Open. The Tiger of last year would break a leg and go through rehab.
The golf world wants him back after a decade of derailment. He brings fans to tournaments and draws interest to a sport that needs some rejuvenation. Tiger’s going through the same rejuvenation, and whether you are a fan, I’m sure you’ll hear or pay attention to how he competes the next few years.
At the Valspar, over 150,000 people attended the tournament, setting a record. The tournament drew the highest rated golf telecast for any non-Masters even since the 2015 PGA Championship.
Tiger’s next event, The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, replicated similar success in terms of consumer interest. “Despite going up against March Madness, Sunday’s final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational averaged a 3.6 overnight rating – a 136% jump over the Tiger-less 2017 tournament,” USA Today said.
Tiger has captivated the world once again. Expanded the relevance of golf to a level no one knew possible – once again. And it leads up to one of the greatest events of the year, The Masters. Odds makers have Tiger listed as a favorite to win the green jacket. And the world will watch, some hoping for the repeated glory with others tuning in hoping to see him falter. But everyone will be paying attention.
Inside the man who’s lived such a complicated life, many people see their version of yester-year meeting their “today.” If Tiger’s comeback shows us anything, he’ll be sticking around for a while. You’ll hear the roars. Make some of your own.