Woods reveals softer side after Open heroics

Tiger Woods embraced his children and had a quiet word with them after his superb showing at The Open Championship this past weekend.

The former world number one found himself with a share of the lead on Sunday afternoon with just eight holes to play at Carnoustie.

“At the beginning of the year, if they’d said you’re playing The Open Championship, I would have said I’d be very lucky to do that,” said Woods, who not only played but contended and finished tied for 6th. – TGRhttps://t.co/4XDAGegFLz

— Tiger Woods (@TigerWoods) 23 July 2018

But golf at The Open is never easy and Woods double-bogeyed the 11th and put himself out of contention altogether with another dropped shot on the 12th, signing for a final round 71.

Woods walked off the course and his two children, 11-year-old Sam and 9-year-old Charlie greeted him with warm embrace.

“I told them I tried and I said, ‘Hopefully you’re proud of your pops for trying as hard as I did,’” the 14-time major winner told Golf Channel.

“It’s pretty emotional because they gave me some pretty significant hugs there and squeezed. I know that they know how much this championship means to me and how much it feels good to be back playing again.

“So, for them to understand what I was doing early in my career, the only thing they’ve seen is my struggles and the pain I was going through.

“Now they just want to go play soccer with me, it’s just such a great feeling.”

Woods’ T6 finish at Carnoustie is the brightest feather in his cap so far since his return to golf after a plethora of back issues. Having started the year ranked 539th, the American has broken back into the top 50 this week for the first time since 2014.