EMAIL THIS PAGE
PRINT
RSS
You don't have to be a golf fan to appreciate what happened at the Masters on Sunday. You just have to be a fan of the twists and turns of human nature. There in the final round on the storied Augusta National golf course, two titanic golfers were pitted against each other. On one side you had Tiger Woods, the world's number one golfer, working through difficult circumstances created by his own woeful behavior. On the other side you had Phil Michelson, the world's second best golfer, dealing with difficult circumstances outside his control. Throughout the four-day golf tournament, Tiger thought he was in control, but he wasn’t. He played well for a guy who's been off for four months, but his shots were erratic. And his occasional verbal outbursts belied his stated intentions to be a different kind of golfer. As the afternoon shadows lengthened and he slipped further from contention, Tiger seemed to get smaller and less significant. By comparison, Phil was steady throughout the tournament and especially sharp on Sunday. He seemed to grow in confidence. As he marched to his inevitable victory, the announcers began talking about his wife, Amy, who was able to travel with her husband for the first time in months because she is battling breast cancer. It isn't Phil Michelson's style to draw attention to his wife's life-and-death struggle, except for the small pink ribbon visible on his hat, but you knew it was on his mind. After sinking a birdie putt on the 18th green to seal the win by three strokes, he walked to where his wife and three children were standing in the crowd. He embraced Amy tightly but tenderly, a small tear trickling down his cheek. In the end, the most famous athlete in the world, who thinks he's in control of his game and his character, was far from it. And the golfer they call Lefty, who has quietly played in Tiger's shadow for a dozen years, on this day stood head and shoulders above him, in control of his game and, more importantly, his character.
|
Comments
Tiger may yet show himself to be a different kind of golfer, but if he's going to change his outburts, he'll need to be a different kind of man--one made wholly new, as a matter of fact. In the meantime, he might consider, before again offending a very large group of our pluralistic society with his loud GDs and JCs, what those same people would endure should they offend his Asianness, his blackness, or his Buddhism. I'm curious why no one, especially the folks at Nike, strong on inclusion, haven't raised this simple secular argument with him. You can't really make a case that a man honor God if he does not believe in Him; but it would seem to me that he should honor those who believe in that God, guarding his words in the same way they are urged (rightly) to guard their words about the many components of Tiger's own make-up.
BTW, if the announcers were right, all three of Phil's children were there. Poor Evan, at 7, may still be a bit short to have shown up on camera.
Very astute insights into a man who has worked so hard to define and control his image, and yet at this point he seems incapable or unwilling to redefine it into something that is both genuine and honorable. I have this mental picture of Tiger leaving the Masters alone (except for his well-paid entourage), while Phil left in the embrace and emotion of this wife and (three) children.
Important observations Stan. I noted something else while watching post-tournament interviews with Tiger and Lee Westwood, who came in second. When Tiger was interviewed, his frustration with himself was evident. Asked if he felt coming in 4th after the months away from competition, working through his self-made challenges, Tiger replied (my paraphrase), “I entered this tournament to win, not to come in 4th, of course I’m upset.” No congratulations to Phil or kind words about the difficulty fellow-pro golfer is facing.
On the other hand, Westwood, when pressed about his own assumed disappointment, he said (again my paraphrase), “Of course there is a tinge of disappointment, but I’ve finished 3, 3, and now 2 in my last three majors. My time will come. Phil played amazing, this was his day and he deserves the win.” Grace, humility, compassion . . . noticeable especially against the complete narcissism of Tiger. When the whole world is about you Tiger, it’s going to be pretty hard to look in the mirror and discover what needs to change.
Wendi
Wendi, you are exactly right. Lee Westwood was generous in his remarks, and Tiger quite selfish. And did you notice when the interviewer gave Tiger a chance to open up and say a few words about what the week meant to him apart from his golf score, maybe praise the gallery for its overall warm reception, all he could say was, "I came in 4th and I'm disappointed."
If Tiger had shown a more kind and generous spirit, controlled his cussing (especially since he must have known the microphones were turned up), and been gracious in his remarks at the end, there's no question people would have been much more forgiving. After all, aren't those qualities all good parents teach their children, especially those who compete in sports? Those qualities are the foundation of civility and sportsmanship. Evidently Tiger thinks he is above such things, and as a result most people are profoundly disappointed in him.
There's a new hero in town. His name is Phil Michelson.
Remarkable column in the local paper today regarding this matter of Phil and Tiger. Writer Matt James suggested that no one has yet asked the key question of Tiger: "Given the choice, would you take your wife or your golf game?" James went on to say that we likely know Tiger's answer. And Phil's. Hint: They're not the same.