Tiger Woods Meets Jack Nicklaus at the Muirfield Memorial

Life is not all presidential elections, Euro crises and troubles in the Middle East.
Once in awhile, there is a day when the world stops to look at genius. Yesterday was such a day.
We all know the history of Tiger Woods - how he was the greatest golfer on the tour since…well since forever perhaps…and then that terrible fall from grace, the proof that no one is exempt from the human weaknesses that we often imagine are ours alone. And, then the grinding, sorrowful and, for many of us, painful re-building of the swing, the confidence, the compassion of his fellow pro’s and of the world of fans.
But, yesterday at Muirfield Village, on the 16th hole, Tiger proved that he was right to go on through the suffering and humiliation, that we were right to stick with him and hope against hope that he could and would come back.
He hit a soft pitch out of the close rough that hit gingerly on the green and rolled and rolled, ever so slowly, into the cup. It was a birdie, and his competition, Rory Sabbatini, who is a very good golfer and was tied with Tiger but one hole behind Tiger on the course, must have known when he heard the roar that it was all over.
Then there was the Tiger trademark of punching the air and we knew at that second that he was confident and that he would win. But, there were two holes to go.
But, the shot on the 16th won his 5th Memorial Tournament for Tiger Woods, on a course designed and babied by Jack Nicklaus, Tiger’s boyhood idol. Afterward, the Golden Bear, who was fittingly there to hand the trophy over to Woods, said, “He lands the ball exactly where it has to land. It doesn't make a difference whether it went in the hole or not. Going in the hole was a bonus. But what a shot. I don't think, under the circumstances, I've ever seen a better shot.”
Tiger parred the 17th and birdied the 18th, which was ringed far out onto the fairway with what seemed like the Arnie’s Army of old.
But, at the moment of victory, there was no air punch or histrionics, only that famous putter held high in the air to signify victory. Tiger was indeed back and we could not have been happier for him.
If you saw it on TV, you can say for the rest of your life that you saw a moment of true sport greatness.
Because, not only did Tiger Woods win yesterday. He tied Nicklaus for the 2nd most tour victories of all time, at 73. The idol and the kid are now equals and they deserve every accolade.
And it takes nothing away from Jack Nicklaus to have Tiger Woods beside him on the win list. They are certainly the two greatest living golfers. A lot of us still adore Arnie Palmer, but for sheer golfing technical prowess, Tiger and the Bear are tops.
What’s next for Tiger? Well, there’s the US Open in two weeks, and he will want to win to prove that Sunday was no fluke.
But, what really matters now is the 82 tour victories record of Slammin’ Sammy Snead, a record many think will never be touched.
But, maybe, just maybe, if his health holds up and he has no serious injuries, Tiger Woods could become the winningest golfer of all time. That will take discipline, luck and a now-tested-and-mature Tiger whose fans are there with him all the way.