In this week’s Player Blog American Julian Suri writes a letter to his childhood hero Tiger Woods.
Driven. It’s one word. But it also had multiple meanings to me as a kid.It was the title of the poster on my bedroom wall from when I was ten, until I went to college. It’s the one where you, Tiger, are staring down at what looks like a crushed drive.
It was also the word that always came to mind when watching you play and conquer the world of professional golf. It was probably the one quality that made me want to pursue golf, first as a childhood passion and hobby, and then make it my career.
DRIVENto win.
DRIVEN to never be satisfied.
DRIVENto change the game.
DRIVENto make it happen when it mattered most.
DRIVENto overcome setbacks, even when it seemed impossible.
All of those things sparked my competitive juices as a kid and continue to do so to this day.
And while the winning was incredible, what was most impressive to me was the ability to bounce back from negatives.That recently rang truer than ever when you came back from multiple surgeries, issues on and off the course, and emerged victorious in the Masters a month ago.
I was also injured not too long ago and while I only had one surgery, it was one more than I had initially hoped to have. But when you put yourself in the hunt in multiple majors last year and then won the Tour Championship, you proved you’ve still got “it”. Everybody knew you had gotten over the hump.
Now as we approach this year’s US PGA Championship, my first since my own injury and subsequent surgery, and your first since your triumph at Augusta, my drive to succeed is higher than ever before.But it also brings with it the perspective of having the game taken away from you for a period of time, a feeling I know youʼve experienced at length.
While I started out as a golf fan, this week I donʼt want to just meet you or talk to you.Iʼm DRIVEN more than ever to compete against you and the rest of the field and win.
Thatʼs what gets me going.
#WeHungry is the motto but it stems from being DRIVEN, to continually be the best I can be.
Thanks for the inspiration Tiger,
Julian Suri
