Tiger Woods

Jackie:  Hello, I'm Jackie Dalton. Welcome to Entertainment, where this week wediscuss a man who has emerged 1 as one of the most successful sportsmenof the last year. Tiger Woods ended 2006 being named as the WorldGolfer of the Year for a record eighth time. We're going to look at someof the most important things that happened to Tiger last year, with thehelp of our reporter, Alex Capstick.
　　One of the most exciting things that happened to Tiger Woods was thathe won the Open Title, one of the most important competitions in golf.
　　When we listen to Alex, you'll hear the expression 'celebrate'. Youusually 'celebrate' when something good has happened, or there's aspecial occasion – listen to these examples.
　　Voice:  Our company has done very well this year, so we're going to celebrate byall going out for dinner.
　　Voice:  Come out with us tonight, we're going to celebrate John's birthday.
　　Jackie:  Normally, if a golfer won such an important tournament, you'd expectthem to celebrate. But Tiger Woods did something else. What did he do?
　　Listen to this report from Alex Capstick to find out.
　　AlexIt was August, on the 18th Green at the Royal Liverpool course in North West England,Tiger Woods had just claimed the Open Title, arguably golf's greatest prize, but insteadof celebrating he broke down, sobbing 2 on the shoulder of his caddie.
　　Jackie:  Did you get the answer? Instead of celebrating, Tiger Woods broke downsobbing. To 'break down' is to be unable to control your feelings and to'sob' is to cry heavily. So why might Tiger have broken down sobbingwhen you would have expected him to be celebrating? Listen to Alexagain to find out.
　　AlexThis was his first tournament victory since the death of his father in May. After he'dpassed away Woods distanced himself from golf so that he could spend time coming toterms with his father's death.
　　Jackie:  Did you get the answer? After his father died, Tiger Woods distancedhimself from golf, which means he stopped playing it so much. Hewanted to use the time to 'come to terms with' his father's death. 'Tocome to terms with' – means to learn how to cope with something andaccept that it's happened. Listen to these examples:
　　Voice:  He has come to terms with the idea he will have to leave the country forat least a year.
　　Voice:  You're going to have to come to terms with the fact that you'll never seehim again.
　　Jackie:  As Alex will tell us, Tiger eventually 'returned to the game', whichmeans he started playing again. He played at the US Open. Whathappened there?
　　AlexWhen Woods returned to the game his dad had taught him to play, he missed the cut atthe US Open, it was the first time he'd failed to make the latter stages of a Majortournament.
　　Jackie:  Alex said Tiger 'missed the cut' at the US Open, which is a golfingexpression meaning he didn't get a good enough score early on in thegame to continue, so he was eliminated from the tournament. But that'snot how the year  ended. What happened next?
　　AlexIt prompted a return to basics which launched an astonishing comeback. The OpenChampionship was the start of a sequence in which he played as well as he ever has, thesix back to back titles included another Major, the USPGA Championship.
　　Jackie:  What happened next was an 'astonishing comeback'. A 'comeback' iswhen you manage to gain success again after a period where you've notbeen doing well. It can be used in many different contexts 3, such as musicor politics. Here are some examples:
　　Voice:  He's made a political comeback as the new leader of the socialist 4 partyafter years away from central government.
　　Voice:  The group Take That have made a comeback this year with a new album.
　　Jackie:  Tiger Woods made a comeback in golf by winning six 'back to back'
　　titles, which means he won six tournaments one after the other – back toback. For Tiger Woods 2006 will no doubt end up as one of his mostmemorable years, for the big wins and the enormous loss.