Tiger Woods is the epitome of a young person getting their life back on track after a fall from grace. Decisions made from youth and fame can do that; knock someone off the pedestal and rob them of their true destiny. Tiger’s return to his spiritual calling is not only something very special to witness, it is an inspiring story of how that came to be.
Tiger grew up in California and began playing the game as a toddler. His athletic father, who was single-digit handicap golfer himself, coached the young prodigy in his game, and more notable, in the important things in life. Family came first in the Woods household.
Tiger’s amateur career turned pro in 1996 at age 20 where in his first year he won three PGA championships and his first Masters Tournament. His continued meteoric rise throughout that decade was astounding. But in the decade that followed, Tiger’s very public fall from grace left him reeling from the demise of his marriage and a succession of painful injuries that resulted in four grueling surgeries and intense rehab. It was during this hiatus that Tiger found the humble heart that brought him back to his true destiny.
In an interview Tiger said, “When I was a boy growing up, it was always Family, School and then Sports. I had to find my way back to those values; it could no longer be Golf first. In order for me to return to the game after my back, hip and knee injuries, I had to realign myself.”
And, realign himself he did, Tiger did the physical, spiritual and mental work necessary to get back to the top of the game by not only winning the 2019 Masters Tournament for the 5th time, but also being presented the 2019 Presidential Medal of Freedom. All this came from his ability to self-examine and self-reflect on the missing essentials in his life and to demonstrate the immense courage to return them to his life.
This is what the heart of a true champion looks like.
“A Champion is driven by what is deep inside him; his desire, his dreams and his vision.” ~ Muhammad Ali