For a day, Tiger's comeback replaced political headlines

You don't have to be a golfer to appreciate what Tiger Woods accomplished on Sunday.

Heck, you don't even have to like the game of golf to put in perspective what his winning means to the sport.

But there he was, the most recognizable name in all of sports doing what fans had seen in the past.

And for a brief moment, the world of divisive politics took a back seat to a story of redemption and dedication and patience and perseverance.

It was vintage Tiger Woods, long after many observers felt that those days were in the past.

It's unthinkable that in this era of partisan politics that the top headline Monday in virtually every major publication was Tiger Woods' victory at the Masters tournament.

And how refreshing it was!

Many people think golf is an elitist game played in cushy environs and limited only to a moneyed class.

But like it or not, Tiger Woods' return from multiple surgeries, from salacious headlines and from an 11-year dry spell in golf's major tournament is indeed a story worth telling.

It's easy to get hyperbolic when talking about Tiger Woods. His storied career is indeed the stuff of legends in all of sports.

And Sunday, in search of his 15th victory in those major events, adds yet another chapter to the game of golf.

More eyeballs were glued to the Masters coverage on Sunday than at probably any point in history.

And in a world all too divided on so many issues today, it was a welcomed break to watch history unfold.

In a sports world long ago, a boxer named Ali was stripped of his title and relegated to the shadows of his sport. But he returned to reclaim a boxing title that many said was the greatest comeback in all of sports.

And it may have been until Sunday.

The Tiger Woods story is straight out of Hollywood. His golfing prowess was evident from a very early age. People took notice of his golfing skills before he entered the first grade.

And his legend grew. And grew.

His arrival in the game of golf was nothing short of pure Hollywood. And then, he delivered. Time and time again.

He brought millions of young athletes into a new sport that had long been virtually unavailable to them.

And, in doing so, he changed not just the sport of golf but the lives of countless youngsters who hoped to be the next Tiger Woods.

The young stars of today's game credit Tiger Woods for their love of golf.

In any sport, you can point to one time in history where achievements exceeded expectations and changed the game.

Augusta, Georgia, April 14, 2019.

Michael Jensen is the publisher of the Standard Democrat in Sikeston, Missouri.