Trump to award Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom

[webfact]

Trump to award Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom

 

Golf - Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 14, 2019 - Tiger Woods of the U.S. celebrates on the 18th hole after winning the 2019 Masters. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

 

Golf - Masters - Augusta National Golf Club - Augusta, Georgia, U.S. - April 14, 2019 - Tiger Woods of the U.S. celebrates on the 18th hole after winning the 2019 Masters. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he would award Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom after the golfer won the Masters for the fifth time on Sunday.

 

"Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM," Trump tweeted.

 

The victory on Sunday was one of the greatest comebacks in sports history, as the 43-year-old ended an 11-year major title drought having overcome personal and professional setbacks including a highly-public divorce and multiple surgeries.

 

The one-stroke win at Augusta National led to an outpouring of support from sports greats and politicians including Trump.

 

Trump, an avid golfer, and Woods have played together in the past including in February when the pair joined golf great Jack Nicklaus for a round at Trump National Golf Club in Jupiter, Florida.

 

Trump appeared to follow the action at this year's Masters closely, tweeting well-wishes to the field on Saturday and encouraging people to tune in when Woods had the lead with just two holes left to play on Sunday.

 

"Congratulations to @TigerWoods, a truly Great Champion!" Trump tweeted shortly after Woods sank a short putt to secure his 15th major title.

"Love people who are great under pressure. What a fantastic life comeback for a really great guy!" he added later.

 

The medal is the highest civilian honour in the United States and is given annually to people who have made outstanding contributions to the security or national interests of the country, to world peace, or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavours.

 

Since taking office Trump has given the award to several athletes including former professional NFL players Roger Staubach and Alan Page and late professional baseball player George Herman "Babe" Ruth, Jr.

 

(Reporting by Susan Heavey and Rory Carroll; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama and Toby Davis)

 

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-04-16

[keemapoot]

Breaking News: President Trump makes first good decision in 2019. ????️‍♂️

[Emdog]

Trump cheapens one more honor, to a level similar to "participation trophies". I like Tiger as much as anyone, okay? Tiger could show some real class and refuse it... "Sorry, but what I have done is great for me, but it hardly qualifies me for what should be a high and rare honor. Comebacks just don't clear the bar"

[lannarebirth]

26 minutes ago, Emdog said:

Trump cheapens one more honor, to a level similar to "participation trophies". I like Tiger as much as anyone, okay? Tiger could show some real class and refuse it... "Sorry, but what I have done is great for me, but it hardly qualifies me for what should be a high and rare honor. Comebacks just don't clear the bar"

 

It's been given to three other golfers as I recall. Nicklaus, Palmer, and a guy I'd not heard of that Obama gave it to. I would say the only thing controversial about this is that it could have waited another 10 or 20 years when he is nearer to the end of his career.

 

 

 

[peterb17]

Weird name for a medal- was Tiger Woods not free before? 

[Snow Leopard]

Share the limelight. 

[Cryingdick]

Laughable.

[Chomper Higgot]

12 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

Laughable.

Please do elucidate.

[Cryingdick]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Please do elucidate.

A presidential medal given to a completely warped man is laughable. You obviously haven't read the transcripts of what went on.

[Old Croc]

21 minutes ago, lannarebirth said:

 

It's been given to three other golfers as I recall. Nicklaus, Palmer, and I guy I'd not heard of that Obama gave it to.

Charles Stifford. An African-American golfer, known more for being the first to play on the racist PGA tour when African Americans were excluded.  Never an outstanding player, but the first to break down barriers based on skin color.

Tiger Woods referred to Sifford as "the Grandpa I never had," and that, without Sifford, "I probably wouldn't be here. My dad would have never have picked up the game. Who knows if the clause would still exist or not? But he broke it down."  -  Wiki

[Old Croc]

7 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Please do elucidate.

He beat Trump's record for banging hookers while married.

[newnative]

Ridiculous--just like wacko Trump hoping for a Nobel Peace Prize for meeting wacko Kim and accomplishing nothing much.  

[Chomper Higgot]

12 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

A presidential medal given to a completely warped man is laughable. You obviously haven't read the transcripts of what went on.

But a fabulous golfer.

 

And Trump does love his golf.

[Basil B]

Expect to see a lot more of Tiger playing well publicized rounds at Trump resorts in the near future.

 

Sponsorship by the backdoor.

[moe666]

23 minutes ago, Cryingdick said:

A presidential medal given to a completely warped man is laughable. You obviously haven't read the transcripts of what went on.

Anyone with a brain knows that as humans we are not perfect and yes Tiger is up there with the best of the cheaters. But it does appear he has changed things a bit, he takes care of his kids and his family. I believe he was given the award for his golf not for his other antics 10 years ago.

[UnkleGoooose]

Wife beating, drink driving, drug taking serial philanderer gets awarded medal because he can hit a golf ball. We do not live in a sane world. 

[sammieuk1]

Surely no one will think of anything underhand going on one being a golf club owner and the other now winning ????

[twocatsmac]

Poor old Donald just can’t win with some people. 

All he’s done is recognise someone we’ve all admired at some stage of his troubled life.

Obama handed these medals out like sweets to mainly to liberal minded crackpot actors and political chums. 

[bristolboy]

1 hour ago, Cryingdick said:

A presidential medal given to a completely warped man is laughable. You obviously haven't read the transcripts of what went on.

A completely warped man giving the medal to another completely warped man is even more laughable.

[bristolboy]

Actually it seems to me that golf is a truly Republican sport. It's the only one I know of that ranks players by how much money they've earned. I wonder if those figures include how well their portfolios performed.

[Becker]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

But a fabulous golfer.

 

And Trump does love his golf.

Only when he's able to cheat.

[farcanell]

2 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

But a fabulous golfer.

 

And Trump does love his golf.

Yep.... and next up, a presidential freedom award for Ronald McDonald.

[Skeptic7]

They have SO much in common. The arrogance...condescension...ill tempered...cheating (and not only on their wives). 

 

[maxx58]

I hate golf and despise Tiger Woods!

A totally meaningless award.

Who cares?

[Lacessit]

We are all capable of redemption, and Woods has achieved it. A bit ironic he was given the award by Trump, who has had a book published about his cheating at golf. Just as well he owns the golf courses he plays on, he'd be asked to leave by many other golf clubs.

When Tiger was at the height of his career, I forget who it was said golf is the only sport where a black guy is being chased by 100 white guys dressed like black pimps.

[Lacessit]

18 minutes ago, maxx58 said:

I hate golf and despise Tiger Woods!

A totally meaningless award.

Who cares?

Do you hate golf because you are not capable of playing it? Sad.

Golfers care because it's a great story, equivalent to Hogan's comeback after his car accident.

[thecyclist]

The self-proclaimed best president ever and the only stable genius since the demise of Richard Feynman hands some reward to a fellow Mickey Mouse figure for a game that has as little to do with sport as Nintendo. Very much in line, though, with the general policy of the Fascist (sorry meant Republican party of the US of A), which is to destroy the planet for the short-term profit and enjoyment of the wealthy and privileged. As Noam Chomsky keeps saying, the Fascist (sorry meant Republican party) of today is the most dangerous organization in human history. Mickey Tiger is just a pawn, playing his part in in the totalitarian culture industry, employed to distract the doomed and brainwashed masses as they run towards the edge of the cliff. 

[jamesy9368]

8 hours ago, Snow Leopard said:

Share the limelight. 

The president of the USA who everyone never stops talking about needs to share the limelight are you for real. They are good mates .

 

[jamesy9368]

3 hours ago, vinniekintana said:

Tryin to coax the black vote.

Good luck with that.

I suppose having the lowest black unemployment rate in history would not work but giving a friend a medal will really.

 

[jamesy9368]

8 hours ago, newnative said:

Ridiculous--just like wacko Trump hoping for a Nobel Peace Prize for meeting wacko Kim and accomplishing nothing much.  

Do tell why your hero St Obama got his apart from being black and white guilt, peace or something. He was the first president to be at war for his whole term. TDS on full display.