Tiger Woods was half a world away when Arjun Atwal won his first professional event in four years, but the 41-year-old from India lauded his good friend for helping him capture the inaugural Dubai Open crown on Sunday.
Tiger Woods helps Arjun Atwal win 1st golf tourney since 2010
Arjun Atwal thanks Tiger Woods for inspiring him to rebound from a career-threatening back injury and earn his first career victory in four years.
The one-shot victory in the Asian Tour’s season finale was Atwal’s first since he earned the 2010 Wyndham Championship on the PGA Tour. Even more impressive than his rebound from a shot down to start the 72nd hole was Atwal’s comeback from a constricting back injury that nearly derailed his career.
And that’s where Woods -- a regular practice partner of Atwal’s in Florida and someone who knows a little something about bad backs -- came in.
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“We’ve become really close,” Atwal told reporters after clinching the win with a birdie at the last. “What with him going through his stuff and me struggling the last couple of years, we’ve been there for each other.
“There’s very few friends in the world that will be there for you when you need them the most, and he’s one of them. And I’m there for him as well,” Atwal said. “Going through his two years of struggle, he’s always been nothing but positive. I’ve spent some time with him, and he’s always guided me on the right way I should go with my game or my health, and how to go about rehabbing.”
Atwal played at The Els Course on his fifth consecutive sponsor’s invitation after he lost his PGA card, according to the Times of India. He revealed that Woods offered encouragement on Sunday morning.
“‘Shoot 2-under a side, shoot 68 and you should be good,’” read the text message Atwal said he received from Woods before he went out and fired a 6-under 66.
“He was wrong,” Atwal said to laughter.
Atwal was not the only wounded athlete who has credited Woods with being an inspirational figure during a painful recovery.
“Tiger and I both went through rehab with our injuries at a similar time, so we were both in the gym together and pushing each other and motivating each other, both frustrated,” Woods’ championship skiing girlfriend Lindsey Vonn told CNN recently. “I think we both helped each other a lot through that time, and I drew a lot of inspiration from him and I think he does the same with me.”
If this golf thing doesn’t work out for Woods, perhaps he has a future as a motivational coach.
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