A fifth green jacket? Check. The end of a long, exhausting comeback tour? Check. A presidential medal of Freedom? That's next on the list for Tiger Woods.
Woods won the Masters on Sunday, capturing the 15th major championship of his career, but his first since 2008. President Trump, with whom Woods is reportedly on good terms, was very excited to watch his friend win the tournament and it looks like he's still riding that wave.
On Monday, Trump announced on Twitter that he plans to award Woods with the Presidential Medal of Freedom because he came back from numerous injuries and the marital scandal that plagued Woods' personal life a decade ago.
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Per The Conversation, the Medal of Freedom was established under former President John F. Kennedy, to "recognize who has made an especially meritorious contribution to" the security or national interests of the United States, world peace, or cultural or other significant endeavors.
Trump has awarded seven medals, and athletes appear to be his favorite profession to choose from. Woods will be the fourth athlete the president has chosen. In 2018, he gave medals to football players Roger Staubach and Alan Page and a posthumous award to baseball player Babe Ruth.
That's a small sample size, but the 50 percent rate certainly outpaces other presidents. Former President Barack Obama, for instance, nominated 12 athletes, but he also gave out 115 awards overall, the most by any president. Overall, The Conversation reports, athletes account for five percent of awardees.
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