As the headline flashed across my screen that a court in Bay County, Florida today granted Eldrick Tont Woods and Elin Maria Pernilla Woods their long-anticipated divorce, I felt several pangs at once — relief, acceptance and, yes, a bit of sadness.
After nine months of scandal, recrimination, apology, rebuilding and a less-than-brilliant return to PGA Tour competition, Tiger is again a single man, an absentee (but by all accounts, loving) father and an inarguably diminished superstar. He's no doubt feeling some relief as well right now, laced with straight shots of remorse. He's left behind a broken marriage, which can't render him anything but broken as well. He won't be whole overnight. He and I have at least that in common; I certainly wasn't anything close to whole in the aftermath of my own divorce nearly two decades ago, which also involved two kids, a son and daughter who, by the grace of God, have remained close to me all these years, even more so after I remarried and had two more children.
Healing takes time, whether you're a simple golf writer or a gazillionaire golf god. We're human, and humans hurt, often longer than they think, even when the pain moves through numbness and finally to feeling and hope again. Tiger isn't immune to that, and his pain has showed in blinding flashes of ordinary play on the golf course as today's decree approached. Divorce is one of life's great levelers, and in that respect he and I are on equal ground, along with millions of other guys. I can only hope his life turns out as beautifully, blessedly renovated and rejuvenated as mine has. There's nothing like a second chance, in love, golf or anything else I can think of.
Tiger's chance at a big reboot will have nothing to do with how many majors he ends up winning, how he spends his private time or how the public and press treat him from now on. It'll have to do with whether he can really, truly forgive himself. That took me a good long while, too. It also took plenty of faith.
Will he look or act any differently when he shows up at The Barclays this week, winless in nine starts this year, way down in the FedEx Cup rankings and awaiting a Ryder Cup paptain's pick from Corey Pavin? Perhaps in the sense that he'll no doubt be braced for a rash of "D" word questions from the prying press, but otherwise, no. He'll put on the somewhat softened, smiling game face he's employed all year, head for the first tee with a slew of swing issues and a proud champion's hope that it'll all fall into place this week, right now, and go out there expecting to win, along with every other guy in the field.
So will he win? No. He's not ready yet, perhaps doesn't even believe he can do it yet, no matter what he says in the press tent. And I'm sure a lot of fans don't believe he deserves to win now, or ever. But to me, leaving a marriage behind, no matter how misbegotten or mishandled or "irrevocably broken" it was, is punishment enough.
But that second chance will come, if he wants it. Take it from a guy who wanted it, got it and thanks God for it every day.
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