The resurrection of Tiger Woods has left a lot of journalists in the rough, searching for words that went haywire and bonked a tree.
"At 41, Tiger is a celebrity, past-tense. It happens to all athletes whose talents and skills betray them with old age or injury. But Tiger's narrative is particularly cruel, and some of it self-inflicted."
I wrote that in August of 2017, when Tiger entered a DUI first-offender program. He took a plea deal for reckless driving after his arrest in Florida on Memorial Day on suspicion of driving under the influence.
"Life can be a buzz kill sometimes," I wrote.
And life can also give you that euphoric high, without any alcohol or pharmaceutical pick-me-ups.
Tiger is back. So is El Tigre. The G.O.A.T. in the eyes of every fan who have left the porch light on for Tiger.
Many of them will be at Bay Hill this weekend for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The galleries will be full again, trailing Tiger, yelling his name.
It will be a nostalgic walk, as Tiger breathes the rarified air of competitive golf again. His 9-under 275 total at the Valspar Championship last weekend was his best finish since he tied for second at the Barclays in August 2013.
I never saw it coming. Neither did a bunch of other people who saw Tiger as a beat-up, used-up, downtrodden version of himself.
There was plenty of reason to worry. He hasn't won a tournament since 2013, dealing with a number of physical problems, plus the stuff ringing in his head _ a condition that plagues every golfer.
Now it's onto Bay Hill.
"I'm very excited," Woods said this weekend, alluding to his first appearance at Bay Hill since 2013. "It's a golf course I like. I've played well there throughout the years and just haven't been back in a couple of years.
"Nice to get back."
Personally, it's nice that was I wrong. Tiger shakes golf's money-maker. He moves the needle in all sort of crazy gyrations, unlike anyone else.
Welcome back, Tiger.
And pardon the bogey.
