Tiger Woods to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom
Tiger Woods won the Masters on Sunday, his 15th major championship and fifth green jacket. On Monday, President Trump announced that he will award Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, one of the highest civilian awards in the United States.
Tiger Woods is coming off of a magnificent victory at the Masters. It was arguably the greatest achievement of his entire career, and an outpouring of well-wishes, congratulations and respect came from around the world. His colleagues on the PGA TOUR (especially former Masters champions at Augusta National), athletes, celebrities, and more rallied with Tiger as his redemption arc finally feels complete.
Woods has supporters in all walks of life, and that carries all the way to the Oval Office. President Donald Trump tweeted on Monday, ahead of a planned appearance in Minnesota, that he had spoken with the five-time Masters champion, and that he would be awarding Woods with one of the highest honors in the country: the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 15, 2019
To clarify, I am not the slightest bit interested in debating the politics of this (or really any) President in this space. Still, this is a major development, and frankly one of the few accolades that he has yet to achieve. This particular award was established in 1963 under President John F. Kennedy to recognize those who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, cultural or other significant public or private endeavors”
Over well more than two decades in the public eye, it’s tough to argue against Woods in those terms. The impact of Tiger Woods, not just on golf but on sports and society in general, has been remarkable. He may not quite be on the level of someone like Muhammad Ali, depending on how you “define” those things, but his ability to impact millions of people worldwide as he has is second to none.
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This isn’t the type of statement that sounded like hubris when it came from the mouth of Tiger’s father, Earl, before his son had even scratched the surface of his true potential. In fact, much of that has come to look more like precognition. He’s never going to rival Ghandi, as Earl once famously said, but he has certainly used his platform for massive amounts of good.
The TGR Foundation, which Tiger and Earl founded in 1996, has helped countless students find scholastic success, boasting a nearly 99 percent college graduation rate for those in the Earl Woods Scholarship Program. They’ve improved the skills of thousands of teachers in California and around the country, and generally changed the lives of just about everyone who’s been connected with them.
No, Tiger Woods is never going to run for President himself, but he’s spent enough time with Commanders in Chief that he probably has a good idea what the office is like. He’s spent time with five American Presidents, form Bill Clinton, both Bushes, Obama and Trump. If anything, it’s a little bit of a surprise that he hasn’t achieved this honor already.
Three other golfers have been awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the past. President George W. Bush honored Arnold Palmer in 2004 and Jack Nicklaus in 2005, while Barack Obama recognized Charlie Sifford, the first African-American to play on the PGA TOUR, in 2014. While Woods hasn’t won the most majors, and he didn’t break the color barrier in professional golf, he made the sport cool for kids of all ages, races, backgrounds and economic statuses.
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Tiger Woods inspired a generation when he became one of the most dominant athletes in any sport seemingly instantly in 1997. He has inspired millions more over the last decade, facing personal issues and overcoming injuries to return to the pinnacle of the sport, facing that same generation he inspired so long ago. On the heels of one of his most significant professional achievements, it seems only fitting that now is his time to be recognized for all he has done in the bigger picture.