Tiger Woods Treasures Time With Growing Family
 Charlie Riedel / AP |
When pro golfer Tiger Woods injured his knee, being told not only would he need to take an extended break from the sport, but would also require surgery to mend his ligament, his future was filled with doubt. However, Tiger was unwilling to succumb to any negativity. Despite enduring surgery with months of rehab following, Tiger admits to Golf Digest that his hiatus has actually been a gift in disguise, giving him the opportunity to spend quality time with his wife Elin — who is expecting the couple’s second child in February — and their daughter Sam Alexis, 18 months. For Tiger, the time is treasured, as he realizes that, had it not been for his injury, the memories he is making with his daughter wouldn’t exist.
“Watching her learn how to talk — yelling at the dogs like I do. We play catch. She’ll catch it and throw it right back to me. I wouldn’t have seen all of this if I had been playing a lot.”
Having experienced a world wind of ups and downs within the past few years — including the death of his father in 2006 — the 32-year-old nonchalantly brushes off knee surgery as “easy.” Explaining his “transition” in life, Tiger reveals that the end of one chapter closed with his father, while a new chapter began with the birth of his first child. “My life changed dramatically when my dad died. Then, after losing my dad, the next year to have Sam — those were polar opposite experiences,” says Tiger, who goes on to say that he found himself in a position “to be as low as I could possibly be [and] to be as high as I could possibly be, all in one year.”
While Tiger shares that after completing each recent milestone in his life — becoming engaged, tying the knot, and becoming a father — he was told that he was “going to become a worse golfer,” he has demonstrated to his critics quite the opposite. Crediting his family with making him “a happier person” that in turn provided him with a “more rounded life,” the golfer addresses the negativity, saying “they have no idea.” One milestone he isn’t looking forward to reaching, however, is Sam learning to sweet talk her daddy!
“It’s something I talked about with Jay Haas [a father of five]. I told him, ‘It’s harder to leave home.’ He said, ‘Wait until they tell you, “Don’t leave Daddy.” That kills you.’ That’s something I’m not looking forward to at all.”
Source: Golf Digest
