There’s something about sports competitions that magnify the people who play them, as well as their relationships. Maybe it’s the way in which athletes battle to overcome all kinds of difficulties, both on and off the playing field. The result is usually a compelling story of courage and perseverance in the face of adversity. In a nutshell, sports provide a metaphor for the human experience.
That’s what happened at the Masters Tournament, golf’s crowning jewel. The weekend event began with the media focused on scandal-ridden Tiger Woods, a four-time winner at the Augusta, Georgia course. How would he act? How would the fans react? In a pre-event press conference, Woods did say that his beleaguered wife would not be in attendance; they are working through the fallout from his affairs.
By the end of the Masters, Tiger had faded from the scene as the media spotlight found another, struggling, couple. Phil Mickelson, who had won the event two other times, has also had a rough time in his family, but quite a different one from his colleague’s. Last spring, his wife Amy was diagnosed with breast cancer, and just six weeks later, his mother found out that she had the same disease. Amy valiantly traveled to Augusta to be with her husband, resting in bed during the week, then coming to greet him as he finished his game-ending put. I have to confess, I reached for a box of tissues as they embraced, tears streaming down their faces. At the awards ceremony, Mickelson said, “I really want to recognize my family and my wife. We’ve been through a lot this year. It means a lot to share some joy together. It’s something we’ll share for the rest of our lives.”
May they be especially long and happy ones.
Tags: Masters Tournament, Phil Mickelson
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