Real Kato Blog: Tiger Woods

Today was mostly about golf.

It was another beautiful day here in North Kakalakee. I did a little bit of yard work in the morning, but mostly I took it easy today.

I went to the driving range to hit some golf balls in the early afternoon. This is an activity that I find very relaxing; there's a real zen quality to it. Oh, and in honor of Mitch Hedberg*, I spent a fair amount of time trying to hit the guy driving the tractor that picks up all the balls on the range. I finally got him after about twenty tries; a solid shot, making a satisfying thunk on the door of the tractor. I exclaimed, "Got him!" The old guy next to me did not find that amusing.

When I got home, I watched the final round of the Master's tournament on TV. I think you have to be a golfer to be a golf fan, but even if you're not a fan, sometimes golf can still be fun to watch. Especially when Tiger Woods is playing. I know some people don't like Tiger Woods, I guess because (like, say, the New York Yankees) he wins so much. But I'm a big fan of Tiger... I guess mostly because he's Asian.

What's that, you say? Oh yeah, he's also part black. I forget that sometimes.

But here's the thing about Tiger: he changed the game of golf. Before golf was a game for chubby, rich, white guys. Now golfers are some of the best athletes in the world. Because of Tiger Woods, all the best golfers spend a lot of time in the weight room. Because of Tiger Woods, golf is something that people watch even if they don't belong to country clubs. Because of Tiger Woods, golf is a legitimate sport. (Well, almost... you can't BOO.)

Tiger has never taken his success lightly; he is as serious about competing now as he ever has been. He's not the type to turn into Dennis Rodman or Anna Kournikova. He respects the game, and because of that, I respect him.

Tiger won this year's Master's in exciting fashion. His chip-in on the par-3 16th will go down as one of the most memorable shots in Master's history.

Congratulations, Tiger, and here's to a long and successful career.

*Mitch Hedberg: "I played golf, I'm not good at golf, I never got good at it. I never got a hole in one, but I did hit a guy. And that's way more satisfying. You're supposed to yell 'fore'. But I was too busy mumbling, 'There ain't no way that's gonna hit him.' ... I hit a guy in one. What's par for hitting a guy? One. If you hit a guy in two, you are an asshole."

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