A man who hails from western Connecticut was behind Tiger Woods Sunday as he completed his massive comeback at The Masters.

Caddie Joe LaCava has been Woods' unofficial coach for most of this decade. He is a resident of Southbury.

LaCava's relationship with Woods is a lesson in loyalty. He joined him eight years ago, when many had written off Woods. He stayed with Woods through a back surgery that sidelined him for an entire season.

Woods' victory at The Masters was his first major victory since 2008.

Western Connecticut State University alumni director Tom Crucitti is a longtime friend of LaCava's, and the two both played golf at WestConn.

"Joe had him in a space that I'd never seen before," says Crucitti. "I'd like to have a bunch of friends like that -- that when times get tough, that you can depend on that individual to always be there for you. And that's something special."

Woods is now just three victories away from the all-time record for major victories.