Monday Scorecard: Why the 2019 Masters was the best ever

"Monday Scorecard" is a look back at the biggest stories from the golf world over the past seven days.

So much can be said about Tiger Woods' historic win at the Masters. Still, Woods winning his fifth green jacket only scratches the surface of what transpired Sunday at Augusta National.

Here's a collective look at the memorable moments that made the 2019 Masters the best ever:

No. 5

It seemed nearly impossible two years ago to think that Tiger would win a fifth green jacket, as even he believed his playing career was over. He was barely able to walk, hadn't played competitive golf in years, hadn't won a PGA Tour event since 2013, and hadn't won a major since 2008. The sports world had turned the page.

And here we are. To many, Sunday marked perhaps the greatest comeback in sports, or, at the very least, the best that the golf world has witnessed. And the fact that Tiger made history at Augusta National - where his legendary career began - is the type of script that is normally saved for Hollywood.

Score: There isn't one. The win is simply too big, too monumental to summarize. It was a historic day and the perfect end to the best Masters tournament ever.

The embrace

In 1997, Tiger shared his epic Masters victory with his father. In 2019, he did so with his children. Even if you aren't a fan of his, it's tough to deny how special the tear-jerking embrace was, and it's difficult to remember a time when Tiger was overcome with such joy.

It was 22 years ago when Tiger was welcomed on the 18th green by his father, Earl Woods, who was battling heart complications at the time. On Sunday, he shared a similarly beautiful moment with his son Charlie.

Score: Hole-in-one.

The leaderboard

To win the Masters, Tiger took down an entire generation of golfers he inspired. The names that litter the board beneath him are, for the most part, players who attribute their desire to play golf to Tiger's greatness during the early 2000s.

Score: Eagle. Get used to seeing stacked leaderboards in majors similar to this one, and don't be shocked to see Tiger's name at the top.

The slide tackle

Remember when that security guard nearly took out the eventual champion with an accidental slide tackle on Friday?

Imagine the discussions that would have transpired if this incident led to a serious injury. It's hard to fathom how close we were to losing such a historic moment.

Score: Eagle. This will be remembered forever, more so for what could have been. Golf fans collectively held their breath watching Tiger limp away after being hit, but, thankfully, no damage was done.

Augusta shows its teeth

A day after Augusta National was torched by the field, the iconic venue showed its worth on Sunday. Soft conditions with very little wind made scoring easier than normal, but as the final groups approached the short 155-yard 12th, the leaderboard got an unexpected facelift.

Four players in the final two groups made double-bogeys on No. 12, including leader Francesco Molinari, Tony Finau (who was also in the final group), and eventual runner-up Brooks Koepka. Tiger was able to erase his two-shot deficit with a par and drastically change the outlook for the remaining few holes.

Score: Eagle (or double-bogey, if you will). The 12th hole played a pivotal role in shaping the end result, as it has many times in the past. Tiger didn't win the Masters on No. 12, but we wouldn't blame tournament organizers if they got a green jacket ready in his size after it.

Magical moving day

The aforementioned torching of Augusta National happened on Saturday. The term "moving day" was encapsulated perfectly during the third round, as three players - Patrick Cantlay, Webb Simpson, and Finau - all posted 8-under 64s, threatening the course record and putting themselves in great shape for Sunday.

Never before had a single Masters tournament witnessed more than one score of 64 or better - Saturday alone had three. Even Tiger joined the scoring party, as he set the stage for his win with a 67 on moving day, which was his lowest round of the week.

Score: Birdie, and a lot of them. As a whole, Saturday hosted the best entire day of golf and was the perfect appetizer for an unforgettable Sunday.

Average joes

After a week in which fans spent many moments picking their jaw up off the floor, it's fun to reminisce about the many times that players at Augusta reminded everyone they're still human, a rare occurrence on the PGA Tour.

Zach Johnson clanked the tee marker after accidentally hitting his ball with a practice swing, something that happens all the time at muni courses.

Kiradech Aphibarnrat made his case for the golfers-aren't-athletes debate, tumbling to the ground after hitting a shot on Friday.

Jon Rahm, a top-10 player, shanked a shot horrendously that gives every weekend warrior a chance to feel better about their own games.

Score: Eagle. Amazing golf shots capture all the headlines; seeing highlights of pros doing things everyone can relate to is refreshing.

Phil being Phil

It was a big week for Phil Mickelson, and not only because he popped up on the leaderboard multiple times. Lefty provided the world with the most candid and hilarious preview to the weekend at Augusta as he drove down Magnolia Lane.

After roasting Matt Kuchar's stinginess and outlining his own ultra-aggressive game plan consisting of plenty of "bombs," Mickelson stuck to his word. Look at these ridiculous, and utterly unnecessary, flop shots from the fringe:

Score: Birdie. Even though Phil wasn't in the mix on Sunday, he was still able to provide the outrageous entertainment we've grown to love.