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Tiger Woods should have gone down in history as the greatest to have ever played the game of golf. He should have bagged at least 10 Masters—a phenom that we were privileged to have witnessed his prodigious gifts.

Instead at 50, his life is a cautionary tale.

He spent last night in jail after again crashing his car. The famous golfer was said to be strung out and refused to take a urine test.

The incident took place on Beach Road on Jupiter Island, Florida.

“The investigation started and initially right off the top it did appear that the driver of the Land Rover might be impaired. And at that point the chief of Jupiter Island Police Department called me from the County Sheriff’s Office and asked for our assistance.

“The individual driving that Land Rover was able to crawl out the passenger door of the car and was identified to be Mr Tiger Woods. Our DUI investigators came to the scene here and Mr Woods did exemplify signs of impairment,” said Marin County Sheriff, John Budensiek.

Here was another case of Tiger Woods looking bleary-eyed and out of it in a police mug shot.

This was the latest in a series of car crashes that places Tiger Woods in an embarrassing position. It begs the question why has he gone off the rails and why can’t he better manage his life? He is now a middle-aged man  and he is a case study of a car wreck of a life.

He was expected to play the Masters in Augusta next month now that has been thrown into doubt.

When his father introduced him to the world he was a child prodigy and the world was before him and his to dominate. He was all set to surpass Jack Nicklaus and redefine the game of golf. With 15 Major’s under his belt in quick time he was on his way to rewriting the history books.

Many parents discourage their children from pursuing a life in sport and entertainment and the case of Tiger Woods should tell one why. Yes there is money, fame, adulation, a sense of accomplishment but there is also that road to ruin where dark, malevolent forces claim souls. Examples of this that jump out are Michael Jackson (drugs), Prince (drugs), Bill Cosby (sex), Diddy (sex), R. Kelly (sex) and Whitney Houston (drugs). 

Tiger Woods was raised in an affluent two-parent home. He married a lovely lady, in Elin Nordegren. They had fine kids, Charlie and Samantha.  He was on his way to becoming sports’ first billionaire…. And he still managed to mess this all up and tarnish his legacy.

In 2009 he crashed his Escalade after his wife came at him smashing the back window of the car with a golf club after finding out he had a number of mistresses. It was revealed that porn stars (Holly Sampson, Joslyn James), waitresses, and some say even prostitutes …all claimed to have sampled the legendary golfer and enjoyed his favours. This was a huge embarrassment to his wife and family and top sponsors including Nike dropped him immediately.

When the sordid details came to light, Woods humbly announced: “ After much soul searching, I have decided to take an indefinite break from professional golf. I need to focus my attention on being a better husband, father person.”

Soon after his wife Ellin left him taking the children. He then sought counselling and therapy.

He lost the better part of a decade  and was never the force he once was.

He should have had a redemptive arc but that never materialised.

In 2017 he was found asleep in his car at 3:00 am. After being charged with reckless driving, the police found Vicodin, Ambien and Xanax in his system.

He had problems with his body in particularly his back. His game fell off and people spoke of him as a giant of the past whose glory days were well behind him.

His lust for the ladies saw him become the butt of jokes and his agent Mark Steinberg summed  it up- kindly. “The entirety of someone’s life is more important than just a professional career. What matters most is a young family that is trying to cope with difficult life issues in a secluded and caring way. Whenever Tiger may return to the game should be on the family’s terms alone. “

In 2019, he staged one of the greatest comebacks in sports, winning the Masters at Augusta. He held the world’s attention again. Perhaps Tiger did have a second act in him. Perhaps talent does win out in the end and that all that talk about character is destiny is just fancy  words from men who have never accomplished anything significant in their lives.

That year Trump presented Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom-the highest civilian honour. 

In 2021 he nearly lost his leg in yet another car crash with him travelling at great speed. This time, the police did not check whether he was under the influence of substances.

He has ruptured his Achilles tendon, had two major back surgeries. For a man so blessed he has been beset by misfortune after misfortune.

He is now dating Vanessa Trump and he has taken her daughter under his wing. President Trump is very fond of him. Tiger’s son Charlie is showing promise as a golfer. There’s a lot to live for, there’s a lot to look forward to.

Last year Tiger’s mother Kultida died at the age of 80. She was his rock and the backbone of the family. He has talked many times about her stedfast support. When a man lives to see both his father and mother pass, it chastens him, makes him more reflective. He ponders what does he want to do and has to do with his time left? What legacy does he want to leave behind? Would his parents be proud of the life he led?

Tiger has to look into the mirror and ask himself some questions. He is too blessed to be so cursed.