Updated

Don’t call it a comeback.

Tiger Woods was here all along, as was our collective love for the spark he brought to golf. You didn’t have to be a fan of what traditionally is a more sedentary sport. No, that’s not what matters. A generation of Americans grew up fans of Tiger Woods.

Throughout his personal transgressions, social media mocked him. Society often condemned him. But secretly, we all rooted for what we saw Sunday afternoon.

Woods won the Tour Championship, his 80th PGA Tour title and his first victory in more than five years.

Why is this so momentous? Well, if you’re reading this you already have a degree of interest in the golfer. Sunday, for one moment, we got to experience the pure joy of sports. Nobody cared about his politics or his past. We all just watched as he strolled to the 18th hole and a bevy of fans sprinted to watch his every stride.

It’s not the fall from grace that so many of us can relate to experiencing, but the rise to redemption that Americans love.

Seriously, the only time you can find such a diverse group of people sprinting like that is when they are in a Costco before a holiday.

That sight and his win are even more spectacular given the odds Woods had to overcome. A mere 17 months from fusion surgery to his spine and 16 months after his mug shot was plastered across the world for a DUI arrest, Woods looked every bit the crisp, polished superstar athlete Americans grew to love.

“I just can’t believe I pulled this off after you know, what the season’s gone through, and it’s been tough,” Woods told The Golf Channel. “I’ve had a not-so-easy couple years, and I worked my way back and I couldn’t have done it without the help of everyone around me. Some of the players I saw after, on the 18th green, some knew what I was struggling with…it was really special to see them there.”

Some of the support he received publicly came from golf greats like Jack Nicklaus and current golfer Brandt Snedeker.

Even with the president tweeting support, onlookers didn’t squabble or spew partisan hate towards the golfing legend – the majority of fans cheered. It didn’t take long for Woods to become the top trend on Twitter nationwide.

Even more remarkable is that the approach Woods had on the 18th hole was the exact same way won the 1997 Western Open. Still, 21 years later, Woods proved hard work, determination and resiliency can defy age, scandal, and multiple injuries.

It’s not the fall from grace that so many of us can relate to experiencing, but the rise to redemption that Americans love.

Thank you, Tiger, for giving us an opportunity to witness it.