This past week for all golf fans in the world was the most anticipated and celebrated golf week of the year, MASTERS WEEK! For most, especially those who live in the northern U.S. and Canada, it’s a sign that winter is over and spring is in the air. It’s a time to watch the world’s best players compete at arguably the most beautiful golf course in the world, minus one player. His name is TIGER WOODS.
The greatest player of our generation and in my opinion of all time (feel free to chuck the computer at a wall if you disagree with me), did not play in this year’s Masters tournament because he has been recovering from multiple back surgeries. This comes as a shock because Tiger has had severe injuries in the past, but has always made it a priority to get healthy for the year’s first major.
Even though Tiger didn’t play, he still made his presence known to the public but not by his choice. Sports Illustrated released an article recently about Tiger Woods and one of the most aggravating questions that follows him everywhere now: “What happened to Tiger Woods?”
I’ll give everyone a very simple answer…HE’S HUMAN and that’s awesome.
I find it very fascinating how the greater public needs to have a reason behind everything in the 21st century. The public feels the need to justify why Tiger can’t play the best to his abilities anymore. The public wants to know why he can’t win tournaments anymore and they continue to bash him verbally about all the things he has done wrong in his life.
I keep hearing quotes such as “Tiger sucks at golf”, “Tiger is washed up and he’ll never win another tournament let alone another major”, “Tiger is a headcase and thinks too much about his swing”, but the thing is HE IS HUMAN.
One of my favorite quotes I continue to hear from people and many Christians as well is “Tiger is a scumbag of a person for cheating on his (now ex-wife) Elin”. I have heard this quote in so many different forms it’s not even funny. I also see this quote to be very ironic because fact of the matter is that SIN IS SIN!
You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. – Matthew 5:27-28
If I were to stare at a woman with lustful intentions, the only person who would know is me. But the fact I looked at a woman with a warped mindset is still sin towards the woman. Tiger committed adultery with so many women, but instead of only him knowing, everyone in the world knew about his sin. The world feasted on his mistake to tear down his image and make him look like the worst human being to ever live.
I can only imagine what Jesus would’ve done if he were on the earth at the moment Tiger’s sin and shame spread across the internet and televisions everywhere like a virus. Every time I hear anyone rip Tiger apart verbally I continue to think about John chapter 8.
The Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who was caught committing adultery and told Jesus in the old law at the time that she would be stoned to death. Jesus responded with…
“He who is without sin among you, let him be the first to throw a stone at her.” – John 8:7
The Pharisees began to leave the temple one by one without throwing a stone because even though they were the high priests at the time, they knew they were still human and were all filled with sin. Jesus told the woman that he did not condemn her and to not sin anymore.
Jesus had so much grace for the woman who committed adultery and he continues to have grace for each and every one of us. Every time we sin whether it’s stealing, lying, or having lustful thoughts, Jesus continues to have grace for us because HE IS LOVE! Most of the time we slip up multiple times committing the same sin, but Jesus is there is tell us it’s okay. Now this isn’t to say it’s okay to sin over and over again because He gives us grace to embrace, not to abuse.
So how is it that when someone in our church communities sin, we lift it up to God, but when big named Tiger Woods commits adultery that it makes him a person lower than dirt? I think this is a question we need to ask ourselves for people we judge for their sin, including me.
2016 is an interesting year and time to be living in because we are so heavily influenced by the media. The media focuses on negativity, fear, and pain because they know that is what will draw in viewers. As soon as Tiger’s scandal became news in 2009, everyone tried to bring down his once powerful name. Tiger wasn’t known as the best golfer in history anymore. Tiger was the butt-end of inappropriate jokes. Tiger was a jerk, he is a sinner. What people didn’t understand is that Tiger is a human being and child of God just like you and I.
I find it shocking yet true, how influenced children are by their parents. For Tiger Woods, what happened to him with his sex scandal in 2009 perhaps had a deeper reasoning for it happening. Tiger had always been very close to his dad and he passed away in 2006. Tiger’s father had been quoted saying “Let’s face it, a wife can be a deterrent to a good game of golf”. Tiger’s father who would sometimes travel with him to tournaments was also seen with a parade of girls in his hotel room most of the time.
Sometimes as humans, we are only as smart as what we know. If you look at Tiger’s life and his influences growing up, Tiger only did what he knew and what he knew came from his father Earl. Tiger didn’t know the true father (God) and I can only imagine how his life would’ve played out if Jesus was present.
His mistake almost made all of his accomplishments null and void. I still see Tiger as the human who won 7 of 11 major championships between 1999-2002. I see Tiger as the son who chipped a ball at the Masters that took almost took 20 seconds to complete that went into the hole. I see Tiger as a man who won on the PGA Tour 79 times hitting miraculous shots and making any putt in sight with a powerful fist pump to follow as soon as the ball disappeared into the cup.
Here was my childhood hero who didn’t just win tournaments, he dominated them. He won a U.S. Open Championship by 15 shots! He pulled off shots at the right moment that no one in the history of golf could ever accomplish. He changed the sport and he made his name known all across the world. Yet none of that matters because he sinned in the public’s eyes.
The question “What happened to Tiger Woods?” still makes no sense to me so I’ll answer it myself. The scandal occurred in 2009 and since then Tiger has won on the PGA Tour 8 separate times. He has won over 17 million dollars in tournament earnings alone in that time span. He has had a handful of season-ending injuries which in all honesty makes his statistics that much more amazing.
So what happened to Tiger Woods? He is now 40 years old and father time is one golf tournament he will never win. He has held a lead in that tournament, but he has slowly begun to relinquish that lead. The other players on the PGA Tour have gotten better because Tiger set the high standard of what it takes to win.
As far as Tiger Woods the human he continues to be friend to his tight knit circle of people. He continues to be a leader at his foundation with the Tiger Woods Learning Center. He also continues to be a father to his two children.
Whether or not you think Tiger is a good person or not is up to you. I believe that he is a human being just like you and I. He made a grave mistake that was put in the public eye because of who he is.
I’m not trying to say that Tiger Woods is a good person, but he isn’t a bad human being either. He sinned just like you and I do. Sure Tiger’s sin comes with heavier consequences, but as far as the sin itself, it is no different than you and I committing any other sin in life. If all sin comes with the same weight in God’s eyes then I believe it’s time to turn and look at our own hearts, including myself. Tiger is a human being created in God’s image and so are you and I. He deserves a second chance.
Sources: “What happened to Tiger Woods” (Alan Shipnuck)
