Tiger Woods win the Masters: ‘It’s overwhelming, I’m lost for words, it’s all come full circle’

The 43-year-old completed one of the great comebacks in sporting history at the course where it all began

After the impossible had settled in and the raw joy and relief had started to subside, Tiger Woods choked back the tears as he reflected on the 22 years that separated that first electric victory at Augusta and this iconic Masters win that immortalised his comeback and saw his career “come full-circle”.

It was a performance to evoke all the romanticism and nostalgia of old, as Woods pounced on Francesco Molinari’s mistake on the 12th at Amen Corner and remained unmoved as the field cratered ahead of him. Birdies at the 13th, 15th and a near hole-in-one on 16 from whereon his nerve would never falter.

When Woods took the golfing world for his own and began one of the greatest periods of sporting dominance in history at Augusta in 1997, it was his father, Earl, who embraced him beside the 18th green, despite still recovering from recent heart surgery.

On Sunday, 11 years after winning his last major, nine-years from his marriage ending in public humiliation, and almost two years since his mugshot was plastered across the world’s front pages – not to mention the four spinal fusion surgeries – it was Woods’ children who embraced him as their 43-year-old father completed what will long be remembered as one of the great comebacks in sport’s history.

“I’m a little hoarse from yelling,” Woods said at the prize-giving presentation. “Coming up 18, just trying to make a five and when I tapped the putt in I don’t know what I did, I just screamed, and I was looking for Joey [LaCava] somewhere. I shook the guys’ hands, found Joey and it was a pretty big embrace. Then to have my kids there, it’s come full circle. My dad was here in 1997 and now I’m the dad with two kids there.

“It’s overwhelming just because of what has transpired. Last year I was just very lucky to be playing again. The previous Champions Dinner I was really struggling, missed a couple years of not playing this great tournament, to now being the champion. I’m at a loss for words.

“I mean there’s my dad, he shouldn’t have been there that year. He was recovering from a heart attack and heart surgery, and now my little boy Charlie, that embrace ... it’s just ... special to have them here,” Woods said with a smile to stifle his watering eyes.

“Twenty-two years between wins is a long time but it’s just unreal for me to experience this. My mum was here, she was there in 1997 as well so I just couldn’t be more happy and excited and I’m kind of at a loss for words really.

“It would be up there, one of the hardest I’ve ever had to win. I was close last year a couple times with a chance in the last two major championships, then I applied what I learned from those two and was able to seal the deal today.”

Tiger Woods embraces caddy Joe LaCava after winning the 2019 Masters (Reuters)

After a turbulent first 10 holes that featured a hat-trick of birdies and bogeys, Woods ascended as those around him were picked apart by Amen corner. Both his playing partners in the final group, Francesco Molinari and Tony Finau, saw their tee-shots to the 12th trickle into the water, provoking the competitive closer’s spite of the Woods of old, as he birdied three of the next four holes to take a stranglehold that he would never let go.

“I was as patient as much as I think I’ve been in a number of years out there, especially the last three days. The way I was plodding my way around the course, kept in control of my emotions, my shots, my placements and to see that board it was a who’s who and it all flipped at 12.

“We were a couple behind, Francesco made the mistake and then all of a sudden I see Brooksy [Koepka] up there, he made a mistake and he eagles 13 and all these different scenarios are flying around. Patrick [Cantlay] made a run and it was just an amazing buzz out there to try and figure out what was going on, meanwhile still stay present to focus on what I’m trying to do out there. I kind of liked it.”

It could be no more fitting that it was that aura Woods first stoked here and cast with conviction for over a decade that returned to him down the final stretch after such a litany of trials. Glory where it began all those years ago. The victory that redefined this sport and forged the improbable script which would follow, coming to a heroic circle right beside that same 18th green at Augusta.