All sports fans must have felt a tinge of emotion as Tiger Woods walked up the 18th at St Andrews. The American sporting icon was visibly moved yesterday as he received a standing ovation from the packed crowd at the Old Course.
It looks likely that it could be his last appearance at an Open on the iconic course. Woods has not had an easy time of it this week and looked to be in pain at times when teeing off.
Just 18 months ago, he was involved in a car crash which left him with serious leg injuries. So while he won’t make the cut at St Andrews, the fact he was playing at all was a triumph.
Woods has won 15 majors, including three Open triumphs. His victories at St Andrews in 2000 and 2005 will live long in the memory. He is a true sporting trailblazer and has done more than anyone to smash down racial barriers in golf.
The sport, particularly in America, had a reputation as being the preserve of rich white men. He blew that away when he exploded onto the golf scene and has become one of the sporting icons of the modern age.
Woods was a remarkable talent in his prime. His private life has been a disaster at times and a high-profile divorce dented his popularity for a while.
But he had the courage to reject the controversial LIV tour – and the billion dollar Saudi pay cheque it would have given him – and he deserves enormous credit for that. If this is his last appearance at an Open at the home of golf, it is truly the end of an era.
Water warning
Scots have been warned that they could be facing a drought as reservoirs run out of water and temperatures rise. That will no doubt prompt a rueful chuckle from most of us.
Who’d have thought it possible that we would be facing a shortage of the wet stuff in a country where it seems to be in constant supply from the skies above us.
Has April Fools’ Day moved to the middle of July? But this is no joke – and is part of a global climate change crisis that will affect us more and more in the coming years.
Hotter summers could become the norm due to climate change. It may sound great that we’ll have to spend less on jetting off to catch some warmer weather but it’s vital we adhere to the advice of industry experts.
The Scottish Water warning about using less water is an important one. The most vulnerable are already suffering and we should all keep an eye on our pets, the elderly and young children. And if you have to go taps aff – don’t be shy with the sun screen.
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