It’s the time of year when folks take stock of everything they’ve accomplished in the previous 12 months and set out their goals for the next year.
Tiger Woods’ 2018 will be remembered by and large for his exceeding of expectations, but in a Q&A with Golf.com while in Melbourne for a Presidents Cup recon trip, Woods offered an even more poignant reflection.
In a https://t.co/0q8sOroPtx exclusive, Tiger discussed his expectations for 2019, his most underrated shot and more. https://t.co/lT8FJhZ281 pic.twitter.com/J56beQlZpo
— GOLF.com (@GOLF_com) December 13, 2018
Asked about his most memorable round with a celebrity, Woods pivoted and said that despite having played with heads of state and titans of industry, a meeting with Nelson Mandela off the golf course was the memory that sprung to mind.
“I wouldn’t say there’s one round,” Woods said. “I’ve played with premiers, prime ministers and presidents. But I think having an opportunity to mingle and talk to Mandela when I played in South Africa in ‘98 … I remember my dad and I went to his home had a great lunch with him.
“That was one of the most important moments in my life because I got a chance to meet someone I thoroughly revered and looked up to. From all the things he had to endure, he came out with a great ability to lead an entire country — unify them. That to me is more special than any round I’ve ever played.”
The rest of the questions and answers conducted with Woods have been hashed out before in the build-up to his match with Phil Mickelson or during television hits during The Hero World Challenge earlier this month, but to hear Woods speak about the impact a meeting with Mandela had on him as a person was a cool tidbit.
