When Tiger Woods made his final putt on the 72nd hole of the 2022 Masters, he wasn’t atop the leaderboard — or even close. He wasn’t even close to being the clubhouse leader. For most of his career, that might have been a frustration for him. But on Sunday, it didn’t matter.
No, what mattered on Sunday wasn’t where he finished — but that he finished.
After starting the tournament well, Tiger finished with rounds of 78 on Saturday and Sunday. He was also walking at times with a noticeable limp.
But in his postround interview, Woods — wearing his traditional Sunday red — was upbeat about his week. He knew that there was work to be done but was also happy to be back out there.
He was not alone.
Golf fans following along were also thrilled to see Tiger go the distance.
Cool to see Tiger go the distance on that leg. Here’s to hoping this is just the first step in another comeback
— Chris Mason (@ByChrisMason) April 10, 2022
What a tremendous accomplishment from Tiger this week. Blows away anything anyone could’ve expected 12 months ago.
— Stina Sternberg (@StinaSternberg) April 10, 2022
And there’s more to be upbeat about for Tiger. Augusta is one of the longest courses in the world. That, combined with the immensity of the slopes throughout the course, makes it the most difficult course on tour to walk.
Tiger didn’t ease himself back into competition. For all intents and purposes, he threw himself right into the deep end and came out on the other end.