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Why failing at 2018 Open made Woods’ Masters title more special

Tiger Woods’ close call in front of his kids at the 2018 Open Championship made his Masters victory even sweeter.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday on a Masters champion’s teleconference, Woods said that his children, Sam and Charlie, now have two distinct memories of him in the majors – watching him lose the lead at Carnoustie, only to rebound two majors later and capture his fifth green jacket.

“To have them experience what it feels like to be part of a major championship and watch their dad fail and not get it done, and now to be a part of it and when I did get it done, I think it’s two memories that they will never forget,” he said. “The embraces and the hugs and the excitement, because they know how I felt and what it felt like when I lost at Carnoustie, so to have the complete flip with them in less than a year, it was very fresh in their minds.”

At the 2018 Open, Woods surged into the lead during the final round, only to play the next two holes in 3 over par. He eventually tied for sixth, and walking to the scoring trailer afterward he held hands with his kids. Then he had an emotional interview with the assembled press. “I told them I tried and I said, ‘Hopefully you’re proud of your pops for trying as hard as I did,’” he said at the time.

Fast-forward to the Masters, and both Sam and Charlie were waiting behind the 18th green as Woods captured his first major title since 2008.

The flight home as the Masters champion was even more special.

“Just watching them fight over the green jacket on the airplane was pretty funny,” Woods said. “‘I want to wear it. No, I want to wear it.’ That’s something I certainly will never forget.”