"It’s come full circle" - When Tiger Woods claimed his only Masters title since Charlie Woods’ birth
When Tiger Woods won the 2019 Masters, it was his only Masters title since the birth of his son Charlie Woods. Fans witnessed an interesting conversation at Augusta's post-tournament press conference that day, as he talked about his father's presence in his first-ever Masters win.
When Woods was asked if he had walked off the green and seen his mom and children, he remembered his dad and his first-ever win at the Masters. He said, via ASAP Sports:
“Yeah, absolutely. My dad shouldn't have come in '97. I mean, he had heart complications and wasn't supposed to fly, but he flew and came. Gave me a putting lesson on Wednesday night, and the rest is history.
My dad's no longer here, but my mom's here, 22 years later, and I happen to win the tournament; and then to have both Sam and Charlie here, they were there at the British Open last year when I had the lead on that back nine, and I made a few mistakes, cost myself a chance to win The Open title.
I wasn't going to let that happen to them twice (smiling), and so for them to see what it's like to have their dad win a major championship, I hope that's something they will never forget.”
Tiger Woods won his first Masters in 1997, and his last came in 2019. In between, he won this most prestigious PGA tournament in 2001, 2002, and 2005. Woods’s father, Earl Woods, passed away in May 2006, almost a year after his 2005 Masters win.
Tiger Woods’s son Charlie was born in 2009. Hence, almost a decade after Charlie Woods’s birth, Woods won the Masters again.
Tiger Woods and the 2019 Masters – A special occasion for a special player
On April 14, 2019, Tiger Woods claimed his 5th Masters title. He is the only golfer who has made this achievement possible. Only Jack Nicklaus has more green jackets in his showcase than Woods. Nicklaus has won six Masters.
Woods won the 2019 Masters with a two-under-par 70 and a 13-under-par overall score. Woods had a one-shot lead over Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka, and Xander Schauffele.
Before the start of the tournament, it wasn’t expected that Tiger Woods, at the age of 43, would win. He was going through fitness problems, such as back pain. But against all odds, he won his fifth green jacket at Augusta. After winning the tournament, Woods said, via BBC:
“It will be up there with one of the hardest I've had to win because of what has transpired in the last couple of years.”
Before this win, Woods won his last major title in the 2008 U.S. Open, and it took more than 10 years to win his next title. It was the first time Woods came from behind in the final round and won a major. He has won 15 majors, three behind Jack Nicklaus’s 18. He has won 82 PGA Tour events and has tied with Sam Snead, who also won the same number of PGA Tour events.