Twenty years ago, at the age of forty eight years old, Jack Nicklaus found his game, fired a record thirty on the back nine, and forever stamped his name in Augusta National lore by winning his sixth green jacket. On Thursday morning, Tiger Woods takes to the hallowed grounds in search of his fifth Masters championship and more importantly, his place in history.
The great champions of sport are people that have left their mark on the game and the sports world through steady achievement and classy demeanor. John Wooden dominated college basketball for fifty years, winning championships and guiding young men. Joe Montana won Superbowls with flair and a touch of civility. In baseball, Yankees such as Gehrig and Mantle are remembered for the way they played the game. Then there is golf, where the way the game is played is nearly as important as the scores posted. Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Ben Hogan are the names of veneration in the game of golf. Why do we love Jack Nicklaus so? Why did grown men shed a few tears when he crossed the bridge at St. Andrews last summer? The reason – he did all he could for the game, and did it with class.
In a sports era where self-promotion and sensationalism drive the market, golf remains a game for the purists. Tiger Woods has gladly carried the baton and has forged ahead setting records on the course and an example off of it. There is a reason why Tiger Woods is not hated like many of the successful athletes of this time. Its hard to hate a guy who says the right thing at the right time, all the time. Woods is the antithesis of the self-empathizing athlete of the day (see Barry Bonds). Working tirelessly on the course, he improves his game a little more each passing sunset. Even more than that, Woods is special because he has an understanding of the game and its histories that should be the envy of all golfers
Creative shot-making, 350 yard drives, and nerves of steel are characteristics that penmen may use when scribing a description of Tiger's golf game. What makes Tiger great and will ultimately give him a place among the great champions, however, is his love and passion for the sport. He plays the game as if he is on a mission to transform it. He embraces the records of Nicklaus and Palmer, Jones and Hogan. He understands their significance, and has uncommonly taken to understanding his own place in the grand story of golf. When Tiger first burst onto the scene with his enthralling 1997 performance at the Masters, Jack Nicklaus had this to say about the budding star. 'There isn't a flaw in his golf or his makeup. He will win more majors than Arnold Palmer and me combined. Somebody is going to dust my records. It might as well be Tiger, because he's such a great kid." That was quite an endorsement coming from golf's greatest champion.
What makes Tiger Woods great is his unwillingness to get involved in the things that do not matter. Whether it is in his personal life or in his game, Tiger has always been about focus. Open, honest, and well spoken, he gives interviews with style and class. He has four times been named the best dressed golfer on the PGA Tour, seeing no need for ridiculous outfits in order to draw attention to himself. For Woods, the game does the talking. He thanks his father, shows a competitive streak, and is not afraid to let us see a little bit of emotion. What draws us to Tiger is the fact that in a world of fake presentations of athletes, he remains real.
The scary thing for the rest of the PGA Tour and the records of Nicklaus is that Tiger might only get better from here. He's probably done enough already to stamp a place among the legends, but knowing Tiger, that can not be good enough. If the day does come when Woods smashes the records of Jack, you can bet the Golden Bear will be the first to congratulate him on a job well done and for his work with the game of golf.
You can reach Coby DuBose @ cdubose@featurepresentationonline.com.
