Lights, Camera, Action

By: JJ Lanier

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

At some point there will be a major motion picture about Tiger Woods.

All the plot points are there- a child prodigy with an overbearing father who becomes one of the most, if not the most, famous athlete in world; an earth-shattering fall from grace due to injuries (both emotional and physical, many self-inflicted), followed by a miraculous return back to the top of his profession.

It’s going to happen, it’s just a question as to who will inevitably garner an Oscar nomination for playing the role.

Whether you root for Tiger or against him- and the lists on both sides are long and justified- when you consider what has transpired over the past 10-15 years it’s hard to argue there has been a more impressive feat in sports history than him winning the Masters. And if there is, it has to be a pretty short list, right?

The fact his first major championship victory took place in Augusta, at arguably the most renowned golf course in the country, just makes the whole event that much more delectable.

I’m sure he would’ve taken a win at any of the four majors, but there’s something about him accomplishing it at the Masters that makes it that much more satisfying.

Over the last few years, whenever Tiger has produced rounds that flashed glimpses of his old self, we’ve been bombarded with “Tiger’s back” articles and talking points.

With this win I imagine those will only increase over the following weeks. If he is truly back and winds up winning a few more tournaments over the course of the season, I’ll be interested to see how he is embraced.

To me, one of the best parts to come out of all this, and something I believe is being overlooked, is that there is a completely new generation of golf fans who were able to witness it.

How many times growing up did you see an athlete towards the end of his or her career and wish you could have seen them in their prime? I’m not saying Tiger is in his prime, but what he pulled off would be comparable to Michael Jordan leading the Wizards to NBA championship during his return.

Like Nicklaus in ‘86, this will become a “Where were you?” moment.

I am currently on the cusp of turning 39. I eat healthy, workout three to four times and week, and all things considered am in very good shape for someone my age. My knees also routinely pop when I stand up, I wake up multiple times during the night, and seem to have acquired a love/hate relationship with dairy.

I mention this because not only is winning the Masters an impressive achievement, but to be the second oldest ever to do it at 43 makes it all the more incredible.

There’s a line in “The Dark Knight” when Harvey Dent (Two Face) says “You either die a hero or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain.” Now I’m not sure Tiger Woods has ever been close to dying as the hero, but he sure knows what it’s like to go from hero to villain….and now possibly back to hero.

I have no idea if Tiger’s Masters win is the beginning of his redemption story, or merely the closing highlight at the end of a remarkable career. Either way, it’s a story made for Hollywood and we’re all lucky to have been able to witness it.