Often regarded as a “Tiger hater,” Brandel Chamblee told our Johnny Wunder on the Gear Dive podcast that his is, in fact, a huge Tiger Woods fan and always has been.

If you caught any of Chamblee’s remarks on the Golf Channel after Woods’ win at the Tour Championship, you know the analyst was plenty eloquent and complementary of the 80-time PGA Tour winner and what he achieved.

“Dan [Hicks, on NBC] was just alluding to this was the most improbable comeback in the history of sports, for a lot of different reasons. We know his injuries. He came back from emotional and psychological toil the likes of which nobody has ever been hit with in the game of golf.

“He gives the impression of somebody who’s purified by golf, that he’s gone through these sad realities of life. He’s gone through the surgeries and the scrutiny. And he’s come out the other end and he just wants to play the game right.”

Chamblee spoke further about Woods and the 14-time major champion’s latest victory on the Gear Dive. The full 50-minute interview is well worth a listen, as Chamblee discusses modern instruction, the most important recent invention in golf teaching technology, what’s in his bag, and much more–but here are a few of his best Tiger Woods takes.

Commenting on the magnitude of Woods win for the golfer’s career, Chamblee said, “It sort of got this historical freight train back on the tracks. Everything is on the table. It’s possible he could win more majors. It’s possible he could get to 90 wins…he looks healthy. He’s pain free.”

“I’m far more convinced with what he did this week than what he did at the PGA Championship. At the PGA, the golf course was really soft and that allowed him to miss fairways…but ever since the PGA…he’s been a much, much better driver of the golf ball. All of a sudden, that makes major championships a possibility for him.”

“In my opinion, he’s the greatest player who’s ever played. Nobody has ever played golf like him. But he didn’t just beat his competitors…he defeated his demons. That’s what made it so compelling. We’re all familiar with his issues. Most of relate to most of them…we’re all fixated on them..We know it slowed his career down…he was knocked off the highest pedestal. To re-establish his reputation as a leader in the game…as a an intimidating player…it went a long way toward becoming the alpha male again in the game of golf.”

Chamblee had this to say about his reputation as a critic of Tiger Woods.

“I’m a huge Tiger fan. Always have been. I love watching the game played at the level he’s played it. He’s the best who’s ever played it.”

And he said this about Woods process of tearing down and rebuilding his golf swing multiple times.

“To me, that’s the craziest thing in the history of sports. No athlete gets to a position where they dominate, they absolutely emasculate their competition, and they’re consistent as well…nobody gets there and then abandons the technique that they used to get there. Nobody.”

“I started working at the Golf Channel in 2004. He was in the middle of a swing change. He was changing the golf swing that he used to win four majors in a row…Imagine you’re me. You’re sitting in that chair. He’s in a down year in 2004. He’s changing his golf swing. What are you going to say? This is a good idea? I like the changes he’s working on? He’s trying to get better? It makes sense to me? Hell no, you’re not going to say any of that! That’s ridiculous…the craziest thing in the history of sports.”

Great stuff. Check out the full podcast on SoundCloud below, or click here to listen on iTunes!