For the past decade, Tiger Woods was referred to as a fallen hero – a once admired golf star who fell to his demise after going through multiple back surgeries and facing numerous scandals. In fact, with all the hardships Woods faced, it seemed nearly impossible for him to regain the skills he had when he was younger and at the peak of his career. Yet, Tiger Woods recently achieved the impossible: on April 14, by winning his 15^th major and first in 11 years at the Masters Tournament, the golf star stunned his audience with a major comeback.

“The fact that Tiger Woods was able to win the Masters Tournament title in nearly a decade was not only really surprising, but also impressive,” said Simon Lee (11), avid fan of professional golf. “Just when everyone started forgetting about Tiger Woods and expected him to officially resign from his career at some point, he returned to the golf course to gain back his recognition as an athlete. In a sense, he proved the majority who doubted him wrong with the outstanding skills he showcased during the Masters.”

Woods, throughout the years, faced many hardships that prevented him from continuing his career. His difficulties began when news outlets started claiming that Woods was likely to be having affairs with multiple women. At first, he refused to confirm that these rumors were true; yet, after more evidence was discovered, Woods had no choice but to admit his fault. In fact, several women even confessed that they had affairs with Woods too, further corroborating charges of Woods’s wrongdoing. Moreover, while being accused of such scandals, Woods not only faced severe back injuries from car accidents, but also tore ACL, a major ligament in the knee, from practicing golf intensively. The compilation of injuries and scandals he encountered forced him to take a break from his career as a renowned athlete.

“A few years ago, when I heard that the famous Tiger Woods was going to be taking a break from golf, I was shocked and disappointed,” said Kristina Kim (11). “Yes, the fact that a top tier athlete was going to step down from being number one was appalling in itself. But what was more shocking and inappropriate was the fact that this respected star was involved in numerous sex scandals during his career. At that time, I despised his actions, but now I’m just truly glad he took time to reflect upon his actions for the past decade and made an impressive comeback in the Masters Tournament recently.

While his 15^th title in itself was impressive, other elements made Woods’s special moment even more compelling. For one, he clearly stunned the public with his perseverance. Instead of being discouraged from the multiple struggles he endured, Woods decided to fight his way back to the top of his career by refusing to listen to others’ criticisms and give up. His persistent attitude gained positive reactions from the public. Furthermore, his moment of victory also moved his audience since the way he hugged his mother and children happily after during his celebration demonstrated how grateful he was to have won the Master’s title after long years of suffering through injuries and scandals.

“Despite dealing with multiple surgeries and injuries, it’s really amazing how Tiger Woods was able to persevere for the Master’s Title,” said Jimmy Fischer, English teacher. “I know it sounds cliché, but we can really learn from his comeback that working hard and never giving up really pays off. As long as he maintains his dogged perseverance and stays healthy, I think he can definitely win many more titles in his career.”

Tiger Woods may have been notorious for having been involved in multiple affairs and several careless accidents that caused him severe injuries and hardships. Nevertheless, the way he overcame criticism and pain with his efforts to continue his passion for golf deserves immense recognition.