"I was speechless for two days" - When Michael Phelps explained why he got "chills" watching Tiger Woods end 11-year Major drought

Michael Phelps once revealed that he got chills watching golf legend Tiger Woods end an 11-year Major drought in 2019. Woods had been dealing with various issues, including addiction, before his comeback, and Phelps had dealt with similar issues in his career, thereby relating to the golfer's glory.

Woods had last won a Major trophy at the 2008 U.S. Open and had since battled with marital issues, career-threatening injuries, sex and drug addiction. He faced a DUI arrest in 2017, three years after Phelps faced a similar situation in 2014, and dropped out of the top 1,000 golfers in the world by January of the following year.

However, as is often the case with greats of the game, he scripted a historic comeback at the 2019 Augusta National, and Phelps was in attendance at the event for the first time in his life. He was behind Woods on the 16th hole and was as locked in as the golfer who eventually won his first Major in 11 years with it.

“I’m getting chills right now,” Phelps told NBC of the final round. “The chance to see (Tiger Woods) at that place be able to come back when everybody counted him out. It’s cool because I kind of have an idea of what that feels like, climbing back to the top of the mountain. Having a chance to see him do it on his terms with his kids there, I was speechless for two days.”

Phelps struggled with depression after his initial retirement from swimming following the 2012 London Olympics. He was even contemplating suicide at one point before the 2014 DUI arrest set him on the path to recovery. He made a comeback at the Rio Olympics, winning six medals, including five golds, to sign off as arguably the greatest Olympian in history with a record 28 medals.

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Michael Phelps recalls first meeting with Tiger Woods

Michael Phelps at the We The Best Foundation x Jordan Golf Classic Celebrity Golf Tournament - Source: Getty

In the aforementioned interview with NBC, Michael Phelps revealed that he met Tiger Woods for the first time at a video game launch in 2004. The American swimmer said Woods was one of his favorite athletes.

“Through a mutual friend, just reached out, tried to do whatever I could if he needed help, wanted to ask questions, bounce ideas," Michael Phelps said of their meeting. "I’ve gone through a lot that other people haven’t gone through in the sports world. I just wanted to support. Tiger is one of my favorite athletes to watch, being a huge golf nut."

Phelps has been playing golf for over a decade now and often competes in exhibition and charity tournaments. The 23-time Olympic champion has a golfing handicap of around 7.