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  • Aug. 27, 2009

    Blog: Hitting out of the rough

    By Edward T. Creagan, M.D.

3 comments posted

For better or worse, athletes are role models — and not just when they win. Consider Tiger Woods and the PGA Championship.

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In golf, there are four tournaments that define a player's career: the Masters, the British Open, the U.S. Open and the PGA Championship. The latter was held outside of Minneapolis earlier this month. Woods arrived three days early for practice and didn't allow himself to be distracted by the media circus that always surrounds him.

A gifted player, arguably the best in the game today, Woods is known for his incredible focus and preparation. He always positions himself to play his best, but this time it wasn't enough.

In a stunning upset, Y.E. Yang beat Woods to take the championship. Yang, ranked 110th in the world, was absolutely fearless and unflappable. Woods was gracious in defeat, congratulating Yang instead of wallowing in excuses and regrets.

So, what's the lesson for us? Even the best players end up in the rough sometimes, but if we position ourselves to do our best, we can get back on course. Are there other lessons that we can garner from this experience?

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Aug. 27, 2009

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