Tiger Woods's Hall of Fame Induction Shows That He Has Nothing Left to Prove
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We'll hear it until the day he calls it quits.
When will Tiger come back?
Will it be in time for the Masters?
Does he have one last Major left in him?
We'll hear all of it, every last bit of speculation from the tongue of anyone who thinks they have something to say about it, until Tiger Woods makes what feels like his hundredth comeback. This time, Woods is facing the aftermath of the car crash that nearly took his life a year ago. We'll get updates here and there, like Woods posting a video of his swing, tagged with a note that he's "making progress," prompting furious analysis over his physical condition.
Frankly, when we think of Tiger Woods nowadays, it's hard to think about anything other than his rehab. But all we want is to feel half of the emotion we had during his 2019 Masters win, fist-pumping right along with him.
Now, while the rest of the sports world raged about Aaron Rodgers's return to Green Bay, and Russell Wilson's departure from Seattle, or Novak Djokovic's latest bid to skirt COVID travel requirements, Woods was quietly inducted to the World Golf Hall of Fame on Tuesday. For a ceremony devoted to a notoriously introverted man, the event was surprisingly emotional. Woods's daughter, Sam, wrote a heartfelt speech about her father—one that was candid about the pain the crash inflicted on the entire family. "Recently, Dad had to train harder than ever," she said, bringing tears to Tiger's eyes. "About a year ago, you were stuck in a hospital bed at one of your ultimate lows—and one of the scariest moments of your life, and ours. We didn't know if you'd come home with two legs or not. Now, not only are you about to be inducted into the Hall of Fame, but you're standing here on your own two feet."
Later on, Woods took the podium, seemingly—and admirably—going off-script. He spoke about how his family had to take out a second mortgage to cover his travel expenses as a teenager, when he was building his golfing career. Woods said, “Without the sacrifices of Mom, who took me to all those junior golf tournaments, and Dad, who’s not here, but who instilled in me this work ethic to fight for what I believe in. To chase after my dreams, that nothing’s ever going to be given to you. Everything’s going to be earned." As he spoke, he began crying again, looking, all at once, fulfilled, nostalgic, loving, and grateful. Most importantly? At peace.
Listening to Sam open up about fearing for her father's very life. Seeing Charlie sitting next to dad. Tiger Woods reminding us about what he had to fight for to even have a fleeting shot at greatness. It was a gentle reminder to all of us at home, that Woods doesn't have to pick up a golf club ever again. He has two young children, his mother, and a generation of athletes all working to succeed in his wake, all better for Tiger Woods walking on a golf course, taking a club, and striking the ball somewhere else. I'm not going to say that it doesn't matter whether or not Woods rejoins the PGA Tour in any capacity, because it does—for his fans, his family, and certainly the man himself. But if Tuesday taught us anything, it's that Tiger Woods has everything he needs. And nothing left to prove.
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