Trump says he’ll give Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom after Masters win

President Trump said Monday he is awarding Tiger Woods the Presidential Medal of Freedom after his remarkable comeback to win the Masters on Sunday after a 14-year drought.

“Spoke to @TigerWoods to congratulate him on the great victory he had in yesterday’s @TheMasters, & to inform him that because of his incredible Success & Comeback in Sports (Golf) and, more importantly, LIFE, I will be presenting him with the PRESIDENTIAL MEDAL OF FREEDOM!” Mr. Trump, an avid golf enthusiast, wrote in a tweet.

The Presidential Medal of Freedom is the nation’s highest civilian honor. Mr. Trump has previously bestowed the honor upon Sen. Orrin Hatch, Elvis Presley, Babe Ruth, Antonin Scalia, Roger Staubach, Miriam Adelson and Alan Page.

Woods, 43, completed one of the most unlikely comebacks in the history of sports with his victory at Augusta National over the weekend. His career was derailed for nearly a decade after a series of personal scandals and several back surgeries that raised doubts about whether he would ever be able to play again.

Sunday’s win was the 15th major victory of Woods’ career and his first since 2008. He first won the tournament in 1997 at 21 years old, the youngest person ever to do so, and captured three more green jackets by 2005. The gap between his first Masters win and Sunday’s victory was the longest in tournament history.

Mr. Trump owns a dozen golf courses in the U.S. and frequently spends his weekends at his clubs in Florida, Virginia or New Jersey. In February, he played with Woods and Jack Nicklaus at his course in Woods’ hometown of Jupiter, Florida, tweeting a photo of the threesome on the tee box.

The president is in Minnesota on Monday for a roundtable discussion on tax reform and the economy.