Joe LaCava Reveals Emotional Text Tiger Woods Sent After Masters Victory: We Did It

We did it. 

 

Those were the words Tiger Woods sent caddie Joe LaCava in a text message after Woods shook the sports world on Sunday winning his 15th career major championship.  Three simple words that would have been inconceivable to imagine the last time Woods won a major. 

LaCava received almost 700 texts in total by Sunday evening, but the most cherished one was from his boss.  Tiger wrote, "We did it, appreciate you hanging in there with me, I love you like a brother."  And LaCava also sent Tiger an emotional text back in return. 

 

The last time Woods won a major he was forbidding, even unapproachable in revealing his emotions.  To anyone.  Woods was robotic in the job he set out to do, in executing the game plan to accomplish his goal, and then in revealing absolutely nothing to anyone as he continued collecting trophies in his familiar place in the winner's circle. 

The new Tiger is however, is a completely different cat. 

Woods smiles more now.  He interacts with fellow peers (including ex-rivals) more, and genuinely enjoys their companionship.  As they do with him (as evidenced by superstars like Bubba Watson, Rickie Fowler, Ian Poulter and Brooks Koepka waiting to congratulate Tiger just off the 18th green on Sunday). 

 

It's sometimes said that real change only happens when a man stands on the edge of a precipice.  And Tiger has lived on this brink for more than a decade.  Woods has endured countless injuries, public humiliations, and devastating addictions.  But Woods never gave up.  Not even when utter hopelessness must have sucked the daily life out of his very existence. 

And that's why Woods' euphoric story of redemption is even bigger than Woods' improbable story of winning a fifth green jacket.  It's the subtext of facing personal monsters and overcoming obstacles that we can all relate to.  It's a feel good story that has humanized Tiger so much that we probably love him today more than we ever have before in his career. 

 

This feel good story might not be a good thing however for the rest of the Tour.  Because now Tiger has that fire back again.  And it's going to be completely crazy next month at Bethpage Black for the PGA Championship.  The site where Woods won the PGA Championship in 2002, and coincidentally the last time a player won the first two legs of the grand slam. 

After Tiger's historic victory LaCava tried to take the flagstick from the 18th hole.  LaCava already had another as Fred Couples caddie when "Boom Boom" won the 1992 Masters. 

 

This year's flagstick was different however.  It was from a Masters Tournament that gave everyone watching it goosebumps.  It was from a Masters Tournament that will arguably go down as the greatest comeback in golf and all of sport history.  It was from a Masters Tournament that showed everyone watching why we should never, ever give up. 

So when the Masters Tournament security told LaCava the flagstick was private property and he'd have to leave it, LaCava simply said, "If you can take it from me, you can have it." 

And back at his home, LaCava now has two matching Masters Tournament flags.