美国国家公共电台 NPR After Years Wandering A Golf Desert, Tiger Woods Stages A Dramatic Comeback

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

For the second week in a row, Tiger Woods almost won a golf tournament. The trophy 1 for the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando went to Rory McIlroy. But the weekend was really all about Tiger. He's in the midst of a dramatic comeback. And for the first time since back problems derailed his career, Woods is showing the skills that made him one of golf's all-time greats. Here's more from NPR's Tom Goldman in Orlando.

TOM BOWMAN, BYLINE 2: There was a moment Sunday at the 13th green that felt like time travel. It started with Tiger Woods dressed in his traditional Sunday red shirt and black hat and pants draining a 15-foot putt.

(CHEERING)

BOWMAN: The birdie was his second in a row, and at that moment, he was only one shot off the lead. Tiger Woods was making a charge. It felt like really anywhere from 1997 to 2013, the last year he won a PGA event. As Woods made his way to the 14th tee, pandemonium 3.

UNIDENTIFIED CROWD: (Chanting) Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, Tiger.

BOWMAN: Even on a steamy Orlando day, it was hard not to get chills. The competitors on the course, like Bryson DeChambeau, felt it too.

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BRYSON DECHAMBEAU: Oh, it was amazing. I told my caddie, Tim - in the 11th fairway, I'm like, man, Tiger's doing it. I was incredibly happy for him. At the same point in time, I'm still trying to win a golf tournament, right?

BOWMAN: DeChambeau finished second. Woods' magic moment ended on the 16th hole when he drove the ball out of bounds. It was as if the golf gods sent a message from on high - not yet. The real reason was much less celestial 4. Standing 5 on the tee, Woods pondered three possible shots he could hit.

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TIGER WOODS: And so in the back of my mind, I'm running through these different scenarios 6, and it's on me. I didn't commit to either one of those three shots, and I hit a poor one.

BOWMAN: It was the start of a shaky finish to an otherwise positive round. Woods tied for fifth the week after tying for second. In his mind, the comeback that even he doubted was possible is moving forward nicely thanks to a fourth back surgery that seems to have worked.

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WOODS: If I can play with no pain and I can feel like I can make golf swings, I'll figure it out. I'm starting to piece it together tournament by tournament. And each tournament's gotten a little bit crisper and a little bit better.

BOWMAN: Next up for Woods - the Masters in early April. He hasn't played his favorite major tournament since 2015 and says he needs to travel to Augusta and reacquaint himself with the course's specific type of grass and the heavy sand and other wonky bits of golf minutiae 7 that he loves. His fans will be content anticipating more time travel to 2005, the last time he won there. Tom Goldman, NPR News, Orlando.

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