PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Tiger Woods cried.
Woods’ 14-year-old daughter, Sam, as she introduced him as a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame on Wednesday evening on the PGA Tour’s glowing new headquarters, stated, “Dad, I inducted you into the Dad Hall of Fame long time ago.”
The 46-year-old Woods, becoming a member of his daughter on stage, melted into her arms and misplaced it.
The similar Woods who used to sear burn marks into his opponents en path to his document 82 profession wins, together with 15 main championships, grew to become weak-kneed on the sight of his daughter authoring that marvelously poignant second.
Sam, fittingly wearing pink, was as poised in her speech and presentation as her father was whereas turning out 54-hole leads into wins whereas donning his Sunday pink.
In her speech, she instructed a tremendous story in regards to the day she was born, the identical day of the ultimate spherical of the 2007 U.S. Open at Oakmont, the place Angel Cabrera gained.
“In 2007, my dad got himself in position to make an 18-foot putt to force a U.S. Open playoff, which he missed by a foot,” she recalled. “He then needed to rush to the airport, flew from Pittsburgh to Orlando and drove to the Winnie Palmer Hospital. Within 5 minutes of strolling into the hospital room, nonetheless carrying his pink golf shirt, on June 18th, I used to be born.
“He may have lost that day, but he won the greatest gift of all.”
Those phrases, as they need to have, introduced down the home, which was full of a who’s-who of PGA Tour stars.
Sam Woods dominated the evening the best way her dad used to dominate on the golf course, and it moved him to tears.
“Crap,’’ a watery-eyed Woods said, trying to lighten the moment. “I just lost a bet to [Steve] Stricker that I wouldn’t cry. Thank you, Sam.”
The most powerfully emotional second got here when Sam recounted Woods’ automobile crash in February 2021 that required a number of surgical procedures to his proper leg and has stored him from competing on the PGA Tour.
“We didn’t know if you’d come home with two legs or not,” she stated. “Now not only are you about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you’re standing here on your own two feet. This is why you deserve this, because you’re a fighter.”
Tiger Woods will get emotional about how when he was 14, his household took out a second mortgage so he may hold pursuing his dream of enjoying golf. pic.twitter.com/PekSeRVThJ
— Golf Central (@GolfCentral) March 10, 2022
Woods, whose biggest triumph was maybe his 2019 Masters victory after enduring a number of again surgical procedures, was inducted into the Hall as a lot for what he’s executed for the sport of golf as for what he’s executed on the golf course.
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His exceptional legacy is as a lot in regards to the present group of stars who sit atop the world rankings at present as it’s in regards to the 5 Masters inexperienced jackets he’s gained and his three U.S. Open, three British Open and 4 PGA Championship victories.
Yes, Woods was probably the most dominant participant the sport has ever seen, however that dominance, coupled along with his pores and skin colour including variety to an all-too-white sport impressed the gamers who personal the game in the intervening time.
There won’t be a present prime participant who wasn’t both drawn to the sport or a minimum of influenced by Woods.
“Besides entertaining all of us for 20 years and doing unbelievable things, he inspired the generation of players you’re seeing today,” No. 1-ranked Jon Rahm stated.
“He’s everything,” No. 2-ranked Collin Morikawa stated. “I grew up watching him. I wanted to compete against him. You wanted to be No. 1 in the world. I just wanted to meet him.”
Now Morikawa, who has gained two main championships up to now three years, is thrashing him.
“When I was in high school, golf was still kind of not really considered a cool sport to play,” Dustin Johnson stated. “You kind of were a dork if you played golf. But Tiger made it actually a cool sport to play. Everybody wanted to be like Tiger.”
Rory McIlroy stated he “feels fortunate” to have gotten to know Woods.
“There is this sort of saying that you shouldn’t meet your heroes, and Tiger was my hero when I met him, and he lived up to expectations,” McIlroy stated.
“I think every pro out here owes a debt of gratitude to Tiger because this sport wouldn’t be where it is today without his impact,” stated Patrick Cantlay, at the moment ranked No. 4.
“He’s created what golf is today and we’re all products of it,” No. 4-ranked Xander Schauffele stated. “He’s transformed golf.”
Scottie Scheffler, who’s ranked No. 5 and gained final week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, stated he used to observe YouTube highlights of Woods in an try and emulate him on the golf course.
“He’s totally changed our lives,” Scheffler stated.
Woods’ life modified a bit of bit Wednesday evening along with his destined and deserved induction.
His daughter made it an evening he’ll always remember.
