Sunday sensation sees Woods claim his fifth Green Jacket

Tiger Woods dared to dream the impossible dream.  On Sunday, 14th April 2019 he made that dream come true when he stunned and delighted the golf world by becoming Masters Champion for the fifth time in his career at Augusta National.  In spectacular fashion, Tiger snatched the Green Jacket after closing with a final round of 70 for a score of 13-under par.  He finished just one stroke ahead of fellow Americans Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele in what will probably go on record as the most exciting Sunday in Masters history ever.

 

What an amazing Masters Sunday it was during the 83rd playing of this great championship.  Players jostled constantly for the lead position with birdies and eagles in abundance, especially on the back nine with its two tasty par-fives, the 13th and 15th.  Augusta’s velvety, undulating fairways and silky-smooth greens continually challenged and squeezed the best out of the talented field of 65 players who had made the 147 cut-line.

 

“I was as patient as I’ve ever been in the last few years today”

– Tiger Woods

 

   

 

Tiger played in his traditional Sunday red shirt.  He wasn’t leaving anything to fate.  But it was Francesco Molinari who looked on-course for his first Green Jacket on the front nine.  The Open Champion had played absolutely superbly all week opening with rounds of 70, 67, and 66.  He oozed calmness and control.  Yet leading by two strokes at the start of play on the final day at Augusta can do things to a player.

 

Psychological boost for Tiger

 

After six holes, Molinari had a comfortable three-shot lead over Woods, Tony Finau, Brooks Koepka and England’s Ian Poulter.  Then the Italian wavered, ever so slightly.  He dropped a shot at the 7th hole after a poor drive had sent his ball left into the trees.  Alas, his first bogey in 49 consecutive holes.  Since the 11th hole on day one, to be precise.  It proved to be expensive.  Tiger made birdie here to reduce Molinari’s lead to just one stroke and no doubt give the four-times Masters winner an enormous psychological boost.  Game on, things were really hotting-up!

 

Molinari replied with a great birdie at the 8th to regain his 2-stroke lead only to see both playing partners, Tiger and Finau, do the same.  Tiger now trailed by one again (12-under) and Tony Finau (USA) by two.

 

Ryder Cup flashbacks from Molinari and Tiger

 

Excitement followed at the 9th when Tiger very nearly holed a monster-putt for birdie.  Molinari then smiled with relief when his own putt for par found the bottom of the cup.  It was the Ryder Cup all over again.  The crowds were in ecstasy.  And as if things weren’t exciting enough, the likes of Finau, Koepka, Schauffele and Dustin Johnson were all constantly within a shot or two of the leaders.  Australia’s Jason Day, who had struggled with a back injury on the first day, was also in the mix, as were Poulter, Spaniard Jon Rahm and thanks to a hole-in-one, America’s Webb Simpson.

 

There then came a lull on the back nine. More and more players seemed to find the pine straw, either due to nerves or the increasing wind.  Molinari appeared to tense-up a little too.  No sooner had he pulled away with a two-shot lead again, than disaster struck.  Putts began pulling-up shy of the hole and a couple of iron approach shots fell a metre short – plop into the water!  The galleries were stunned and quiet now.  The result?  Two very costly, not single but double-bogeys at the par-3 12th and the par-5 15th.  ‘Frankie’, as his Ryder Cup buddies call him, must have been feeling the heat – the heat of a confident Tiger breathing down his neck.  He had slipped back to 10-under for the championship.

 

   

 

Brooks Koepka was also in the water at twelve, followed by Poulter and Finau.  Enter Xander Schauffele on 11-under, now tied for second place with Woods.  Watch out for Justin Thomas, whose hole-in-one at the par-3 16th had seen him soar up the leaderboard on 9-under.  Umbrellas, please!  The untimely arrival of the rain saw 15 players within three shots of the lead at this point, all with a realistic chance of winning the coveted Green Jacket.

 

Meanwhile Patrick Cantlay (USA) had eagled the par-5 15th to get to 12-under and find himself unexpectedly leading the Masters by one stroke.  Suddenly the course was awash with birdies and eagles making it almost impossible to keep up with the ‘who’s who and scoring what’ on the leaderboard.

 

Tiger’s confidence just grew and grew down the final straight.  Back-to-back birdies at the 15th and 16th saw him take the outright lead again on 13-under.  Minutes later he increased his lead to 14-under after a terrific tee-shot at the par-3 16th which almost finished in the hole.  Tiger was two ahead with two holes to play.  Just two holes stood between him and his dream – a fifth Green Jacket.  But Molinari was not giving up.  He then birdied the 17th.  Woods parred the hole.

 

Brooks clings on in fierce battle

 

Up ahead, Koepka was also fiercely hanging onto his dream – a first Green Jacket.  The 28-year old from West Palm Beach, Florida had a good chance of making birdie at the last and so draw even for the lead.  However, the ball stayed agonisingly above ground for a round of 70 and so remain at 12-under for a share of 2nd place.

 

The Open Champion could also muster no more than a par at the last leaving Tiger Woods in the luxury, no pressure position, of being able to make bogey at 18 and still win the Masters by one.

 

Tiger’s phenomenal comeback was complete.  The crowds screamed with delight.  Tiger threw his arms high in the air with joy.  His young son, Charlie ran into his arms.  His proud Mum and daughter, Sam looked on too.  The circle was complete.  Everyone knew that they had witnessed something very special at Augusta on Sunday.  This was the comeback of all comebacks, possibly one of the most iconic sporting comeback stories ever.

 

 

“It’s overwhelming to win my fifth Green Jacket … one of the hardest I’ve ever had to win after all that’s happened …”

 

– An emotional Tiger Woods during the presentation of the Green Jacket by last year’s Masters Champion, Patrick Reed in the Butler Cabin at Augusta National.

 

 

Though many had doubted the 43-year old’s ability ever to return to the pinnacle of his game after a distinctly sombre period in his life thwarted with back operations, poor form and personal scandals, thankfully Tiger never quite gave up on himself.  Against all odds he has fought his way back from being ranked one thousand and something in the world a couple of years ago to being crowned 2019 Masters Champion.  The winner of 15 Major titles is not quite back on his throne as ‘World Number One’, but he’s well on his way.  Last week saw him go from 12th in the Official World Golf Ranking to sixth.  So watch out Dustin Johnson!

 

Tiger’s victory on Sunday was a momentous moment, one which will breathe a whole new chapter into the history books about this wonderful game and this extraordinary golfer.  ‘Tiger’ Eldrick Tont Woods – what a story!

 

Absolutely phenomenal, Tiger!  Many, many congratulations to you!

 

Wendy Hoad

 

 

CHECK OUT the FINAL MASTERS SCOREBOARD HERE.

 

 

MAIN PHOTOGRAPH:  An ecstatic 2019 Masters Champion Tiger Woods moments after holing out for victory.   MINIS: (l-r) Ian Poulter, Tony Finau, Francesco Molinari and Brooks Koepka.