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Tiger Woods felt a connection with Michael Jordan long before he met.
In 1990, it was MJ NBA MVP, Defensive Player of the Year, three-time scoring champion and the new face of basketball after Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
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Meanwhile, Eldrick Tonet Tiger Woods was a precocious young golfer barely in his teens.
Even then, however, Woods was becoming a legend, something the man or boy himself was keenly aware of.
In an interview with Trans World Sport in 1990, Woods boldly suggested that he might be older than Jack Nicholas and could even Michael Jordan From golf
“I might kind of look like one Michael Jordan In basketball, or something like that, the young Woods stated.
Woods’ words were prophetic as he revolutionized the sport of golf and became a global icon in the process.
His rise was not unlike that of Jordan in the 1990s, and the sports legends became close through their joint sponsorship, Nike.
Woods explained that he approached his childhood idol imagining he was following a similar path, and the basketball goat was receptive to his advances.
“I guess my association with Nike helped,” Woods recalls.
“But Mike’s in a position where I think my life is going. And I’ve had problems, I didn’t know how to deal with certain situations. Like dealing with vision, losing privacy, articles, just people In general, and Mike helped me out because Mike has been there before.
He’s established himself as the best basketball player ever, and he’s so well known that who better to relate to me than a movie star, celebrity, or whatever, but a down-to-earth guy, who’s an athlete. , which can communicate with another athlete.
And Mike is almost like my big brother now.
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Jordan and Woods formed a close friendship, but the competitive fire of Air Jordan continued to emphasize their brotherly bond.
Woods had the chance to see Jordan’s intensity first hand and played golf with him on the day of a playoff game in 1997.
Woods: “They were playing the Knicks in the Eastern Conference Finals.” explained. “I went over there and hung out with him for a few days. It was good to be a part of the … mentality — I can relate to that. I can relate to the intensity.”
After winning his fifth NBA championship later that year, Jordan was asked by SLAM magazine If he played basketball with Woods. While Jordan admitted that Woods had talent, MJ revealed that Woods was too scared to play him in a real game.
“He’s scared. I’m going to blow his brains out. I’m in a contact sport,” Jordan said. “Let’s see. It goes without saying. He’s a good kid. He doesn’t scare me on the golf course.”
Aerobics always sympathized with Tiger who, like a Prime Minister Mike, was constantly in the spotlight and faced similar social pressures and responsibilities.
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“He doesn’t know what he’s dealing with,” Jordan said. Many times harder than me
“In an individual sport, he doesn’t have the support systems to help him overcome a bad day. If I have a bad game, we can still win. He has a bad game. He’s going to be crucified on TV. It’s totally unfair. He’s in a game where he’s representing minorities in every way.
Jordan won six NBA titles with six Finals MVP titles and ten scoring titles. For many, he is the best basketball player who ever lived, and in conversation with him Muhammad Ali and Babe Ruth for the most influential athlete of the 20th century.
Woods left his indelible mark on golf and became the sport’s first truly global icon, en route to 15 major championships and 82 titles. The PGA Tour won — tied him with Sam Snead for the most time.
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger Woods, hits his first hole in one and shares a special moment with the golf legend.
In a 2001 ESPN magazine article, Jordan eulogized his friend.
Jordan wrote: “The ability to execute in the clutch comes from having the confidence to know that you can. You have a model that you can always relate to.
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Today’s athlete with that kind of confidence more than anyone Tiger Woods. Look at his record. If he has a lead, he keeps it. If he needs a big hit, he’ll do it. And the more he does it—the more times he has to make ends meet—the more certain he is that he can do it again.
Jordan added of Woods’ winning mentality: “Tiger’s confidence is high because of his work ethic and past success. And he’s doing what he’s doing in the clutch today because he has that confidence. If he wants to That damn tree, he’ll do it.
The two have been close for years, playing golf or socializing together.
“I’d say 1A, 1B, myself and Michael,” Woods once said. replied When asked to rate their competitiveness.
I think he is more competitive than me in appearance. But I tend to be a bit competitive sometimes.
“We can relate on so many levels,” Woods added after they played golf together in 2007.
Not many people have gone through the same things we had to go through, and he actually did it first. So because of that, I was basically able to pick up all the knowledge that he had accumulated over the years. “
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However, their relationship eventually soured amid Woods’ documented personal problems and injuries that forced him to take a break from golf.
However, the two have publicly maintained a mutual affection over the years.
After Woods completed his epic comeback by winning the 2019 Masters, MJ praised his former friend for what he did. called Arguably “the greatest comeback in sports history.”
“I never thought he’d come back physically. He didn’t think he’d come back physically. But he did. Nobody expected him to come back the way he is now,” No. 23 said.
“He’s probably the only one who believed he could come back. To me, that’s a huge accomplishment. To me, it’s unbelievable. Mentally, you always think you can. But you can’t do what your body does. He struggles to answer.
Their relationship may not be what it used to be, but Jordan and Woods are two of the greatest athletes to ever live.
Although bold at the time, the 14-year-old Tiger’s words weren’t so far-fetched in the end.
