Last month Tiger Woods made what was probably the greatest comeback in golf history, not too long after that, he is receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. President Donald Trump conferred the highest honor to be received by a civilian on Monday in front of Woods’ children, mother, girlfriend, and caddie, Joe LaCava, and the Rose Garden crowd.
It’s an incredible privilege to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Considering the recipients, history, and what this means to me and my family, it’s also very humbling. Thank you all for your support and I hope this inspires others to never give up on their dreams. pic.twitter.com/33CJIHwQvz
— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) May 7, 2019
Trump, who has had his time playing with the recent Masters’ champ, said the golfer was a symbol of American Excellence, drive, and devotion. He went ahead to say that Woods had been an inspiration by his personality and all that he had achieved.
The golfer burst onto the scene in 1996 as a 20-year-old and immediately dominated the scene for over a decade. He began a slow decline due to back and leg injuries before his major downfall in 2009 resulting from an extramarital scandal. This issue led to the dissolution of the marriage and the tarnishing of his once pristine reputation.
Tonight, President Trump presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom to Tiger Woods—”a global symbol of American excellence, devotion, and drive.” pic.twitter.com/6Mk36i2k6d
— The White House (@WhiteHouse) May 6, 2019
From being number 1 in the world, he dropped to 1,199, a fact which Trump said he could never come to terms with. The golfer, however, fought through the storm till he hit the summit again last month at age 43, winning the fifteenth major title of his career, after an 11-year hiatus.
Tiger Woods, who is the fourth golfer to receive the prestigious award, expressed gratitude to all of his family, fans, and friends for being there for him and helping him through his challenging time. He is also grateful for having the opportunity to play the great game of golf again and reaching the very top.