Tiger Woods sealed His Great Comeback
He won the Presidents Cup as captain and player and closed an extraordinary year. The accident at dawn on November 27, 2009 hid something else. “A scare for Tiger Woods”, indicated the first reports that came from Windermere, luxury urbanization in the state of Florida. The then number one in the world crashed with his Cadillac at 2.25. He left his house and crashed into a fire hydrant and then with a tree, in his neighbor’s house. For the impact, which was at low speed, Woods suffered a blow to the face and some cuts. “A minor shock,” local media agreed. But there was something else. The golfer had left his residence quickly after a strong discussion with his partner, Elin Nordegren. Elin had discovered his infidelities and had unleashed the perfect storm. This is how Woods came out with anger and crashed his Cadillac Escalade. The accident was the supposed endpoint for his career, the scandal that unleashed an earthquake that led him to ruin.
Ten years later, Woods lives the rebirth. It is no longer news about scandals, arrests, addictions or injuries. Tiger was Tiger again. Not only was he crowned again this year at the Augusta Masters – his first big title after eleven seasons – but he had the pleasure of closing the year as captain-player in the umpteenth American victory in the Presidents Cup.
“We trust us as a team. And we did it together,” Woods said in a voice stunned by emotion. “Nobody gave us this Cup. We had to win it and we did it,” he added. Overcome by emotion, he preferred to hide his face under the white cap. It is not common to see it broken, but this victory marked it. The unbeatable player was also the perfect captain. “We will all look back and have these photos hanging on our walls. We will say that we play for and with Tiger Woods, the best player in history,” said Matt Kuchar. “I love watching other people cry, especially Tiger,” said Steve Stricker, an easy-tear golfer.
“Playing for Tiger, the United States refuses to lose”, titled the official site of the PGA Tour. In a context that seemed unfavorable (the Internationals were in a position to end a drought that is already 21 years old), the winning spirit of the United States was the key to closing Sunday in the best way. Patrick Simpson won for the first time all week at the Royal Melbourne, while California rookies Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay took their respective meetings. At one point, the international team realized that the most they aspired to was a draw, if they won the last two Sunday duels. But no. Matt Kuchar placed a birdie putt in hole 17, and placed one above Louis Oosthuizen. This assured the United States at least 15 and a half points, the number they needed to conquer the contest. With the 16-14 marker, those led by Tiger left the record in 11-1-1, after 13 clashes. The captain-player’s contribution was the key to beating Ernie Els. And his discipline pushed a team that showed its face for its leader. “My responsibility as a player is to earn a point every time I go out to the field,” he warned. And so he did throughout the week, with a 3-0 mark. It was the perfect closure for the year that marked his return.
114 Visa Open: Colombian Ricardo Celia Won the Tournament
The stakes were high: the honor of being champion of Argentina’s flagship golf tournament and the reward of the direct ticket to the British Open. In the end, everything remained in foreign hands. It could have been for the American Brandon Matthews, but the title of the 114th VISA Open fell to the Colombian Ricardo Celia, winner in the Jockey Club of San Isidro after winning the third hole of the playoff (birdie against par), after having tied in 269 strokes (-11) in the 72 holes. The disappointment? Augusto Nรบรฑez, who at 18 had a good chance to win and rekindle Tucuman pride in this sport. However, he entered a maze from which he could never leave.
Celia returned from the green of the 17th hole walking among the people, taking selfies and always wrapped in the Colombian flag. He had just put an impressive 12-meter putt down the ravine in that par 3 that crowned him in the Open. Matthews, on the other hand, was isolated in his head: some movement or noise from the public distracted him when he executed the birdie putt and immediately grabbed his head, implying that an extra-golf situation had spoiled the chance of prolonging the tiebreaker, after playing the 18th hole twice and once time on 17.
Without being able to do anything in the face of an unpleasant moment experienced by his adversary, Celia could not hide his joy: “I am very excited; they tell me that I am going to travel to the Open and I find it incredible, next to all those great players. I started with four strokes. of the leader and on top I started with a double bogey, but I could recover and now I enjoy this victory with a dedication for my whole family. ” A native of Barranquilla, this avid 27-year-old reader came from a slow 2019 campaign at the PGA Tour Latin America: only a 4th place in Quito. His only victorious antecedent before the Open had been at the 2015 Ecuador Open. Now, beyond his expectations, he will be pleased to play his first Major at Royal St. George’s in mid-July, an opportunity for a few golfers in the world.