Tiger Woods is the kind of man who lives for the big moment. It is well-known that when he prepares to play in major championships, he spends a week alone collecting his thoughts. His primary objective since childhood has been to break the "unbreakable" record of 18 major championships held by the great Jack Nicklaus. Tiger is well on his way, with 14 majors under his belt while he's still young enough to date strippers and cocktail waitresses. Well, I guess some guys always think they're young enough to do that.

When Tiger Woods planned out a life of beating the top pros in the world and becoming the greatest golfer in history, he probably didn't think much about the side effects. Success comes with temptations that some men can't overcome. He never thought that in addition to becoming the first athlete in the world to earn over a billion dollars (which he will likely become), he would also find himself paying $100 million to his ex-wife after being labeled by the American public as a sex addict and social deviant. There was a time when life was simple: it was just Tiger and his dad out on the golf course, focused on getting a white ball into a round hole. That life has changed into something that I am sure even Tiger doesn't recognize.

My hope is that Tiger Woods can find himself again. I don't think it's too late for him to reclaim the simple life he once lived. Sure, he'll always be a megastar with all that comes with it, but with money comes power. Not only does money give you the ability to impact the lives of others, it can also give you the ability to protect your own life.

I argue that Tiger should pay someone to manage every single one of his affairs, from returning phone calls to signing major contracts. There's no reason that a 34-year old man can't lock his door and sit with his Xbox controller, while the crazy world lives on outside. That world will be just fine without him, so he doesn't have to allow the craziness of fame and fortune to disrupt his spirit and internal peace.

This is not to say that Tiger should be a recluse or a hermit. But it does say that he has a job to finish. His primary mission in life was to achieve the impossible and he has a chance to do that. The first step in that mission is occurring across the ocean at the British Open, and it appears that Tiger may have a chance to get it done. Good luck to Tiger over the weekend. He's surely going to need it.




Dr. Boyce Watkins is the founder of the Your Black World Coalition and a Scholarship in Action Resident of the Institute for Black Public Policy. To have Dr. Boyce commentary delivered to your email, please click here.