The Comeback Ability

THE COMEBACK ABILITY of Tiger Woods almost defies imagination. At the 2000 Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the golfer emerged with another thrilling tournament victory.

After three rounds, Woods trailed the leader, Matt Gogel, by five strokes. On the final day of competition, the margin widened to seven with only seven holes remaining.

Without warning, however, Gogel faltered and Woods caught fire as he sank unbelievable shot after shot. Almost 100 yards from the green on hole 15, he launched the ball high into the dull gray sky. It fell about four feet from the pin and spun back to drop in for an eagle. Birdies followed on 16 and 18, giving Woods an 8-under 64 for the day.

With Woods in the clubhouse, Gogel could have forced a playoff with a birdie on the final hole. But his ten-foot putt slid left past the cup.

Shocked by his fall from the top, Gogel missed his comeback and took another bogey, falling into a second-place tie with Vijay Singh. Woods’s 17th career PGA victory brought his incredible string to six straight, tying Ben Hogan’s mark set in 1948.

EXTRA < < < < < < < < < < < < < <

POINT Power and energy hallmark Tiger Woods’s professional golf career. Though he makes the sport look easy, he labors daily. He practices driving, chipping, and putting. He spends hours perfecting his game.

For Woods, golf isn’t just fun. It’s a job that demands his full attention. His love of the game fuels his drive to win.

Power and energy should hallmark our Christian service, too. Just like Tiger Woods is an example to other golfers, the apostle Paul should be an example to us. We should spend hours making our lives more like Jesus Christ’s.

For us, telling others about our Savior shouldn’t be a game. It should be a lifestyle that demands constant attention. And our love for God should fuel our desire to witness to others and serve him.

GOAL! Go to a driving range or play a round of mini golf. Concentrate hard and try to do your best. Ask God to help you put all your energy into serving him, just like the apostle Paul did.