There is no mistaking The Roar.
There is applause in golf. Then there is The Roar.
Tiger was back.
On the leaderboard.
At August National.
Winning the Masters.
The truth is I would have been in front of my TV on Sunday anyhow. I wasn't even disappointed when the forecast for a sunny afternoon and 75-degree weather instead turned into a gloomy drizzle, with temps struggling to reach 65.
A perfect day to settle in front of the TV and watch my favorite tournament of the year.
Even with the tee times moved to an early a.m. start because of the threat of weather, it could not dampen the excitement of Tiger on the prowl.
Look, I understand that a lot of people don't get golf. Some even question if it is a sport.
I'm a zealot. I don't get to play nearly as much as I'd like, but I almost always check out the weekend tournament on the tube.
Usually I will slip in while doing some channel surfing, then quickly surf out.
Not yesterday.
This was the Masters.
And Tiger was on the leaderboard.
When Tiger is near the lead, suddenly it's not just golf anymore. It's an event. Must-see TV.
Yesterday Tiger Woods did not disappoint.
He seized the lead on the Par 3 16th with a majestic 8-iron off the tee that landed above the whole, then slowly, tantalizingly trickled back down toward the flag, sliding by the edge by inches and settling just a few feet under the cup in "gimme" range.
He never looked back, winning his fifth green jacket - and his 15th major. That puts him just three behind one of the records once thought invincible, Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major titles.
It had been more than 11 years since Tiger won his last major.
In between there were a balky back, aching neck, a wrecked knee - and of course a wrecked marriage and all the baggage that came with it.
Many believed Tiger was done, perhaps even Tiger among them.
The truth is at one point he wondered if he would ever play competitive golf again.
Then suddenly there he was yesterday donning another green jacket, suddenly becoming the favorite in this season's three remaining majors.
How big was Tiger's win yesterday?
Let me put it this way. Suppose 12 years from now, Nick Foles won another Super Bowl.
That's how daunting the challenge was for Woods, now 43 years old.
And that is why he stands alone, bigger than golf, bigger than almost anyone in sports.
He stands right there beside Muhammad Ali as 'The Greatest.'
Welcome back, Tiger.
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