Five of Tiger's Best Victories

PICKING five of the best of Tiger Woods’ victories is a near-impossible task, but these are the wins that stand out for me.

1997 Masters

He was 21 and spent the first 36 holes in the company of defending champion Nick Faldo. There was much hype surrounding Tiger’s appearance but when he took 40 blows to cover the front nine we began to wonder if it was all overblown. We needn’t have worried. He came home in 30 with an eagle and four birdies. He followed with rounds of 66, 65 and 69 to finish on 270. His 18-under-par winning total was a record. Runner-up Tom Kite finished 12 adrift.

2000 US Open

Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez finished joint runners-up at the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach, recording 72-hole totals of 287, three over par. This is the sort of score that is meant to win a US Open. Woods won the tournament. His total? 272, 12 under par. He won by a record 15 shots. He led by one after an opening 65, by six after a second round of 69, and by 10 after recording a 71 in the third round. He then finished the job with a 67.

2000 Open Championship

It wasn’t just that Woods won by eight strokes at the Home of Golf - it was the manner of his triumph. There are 112 bunkers on the course. If you play 72 holes, that means there are a total of 448 traps of all shapes and sizes. Incredibly, Woods avoided each and every one of them on his way to a processional success. A month after finishing 15 behind Woods at Pebble Beach, Ernie Els shared second place again, with Thomas Bjorn - this time he trailed Woods by eight.

2018 Tour Championship

Woods has won 82 PGA Tour titles, but there was never a more evocative and emotional victory than this one at East Lake in the season-ending Tour Championship. Woods hadn’t won a tournament since 2013 but played superbly. He began the final round three ahead of Billy Horschel, was five in front when he reached the turn and would eventually win by two. Nobody who witnessed it will ever forget the scenes at the final hole when the spectators poured onto the fairway and followed Woods to the green.

2019 Masters

It had been 10 years since Woods last major victory. In 2018 he had briefly led The Open at Carnoustie, only to be caught and passed by Francesco Molinari. And for much of the final round at Augusta, it looked like Woods would come up short again as Molinari closed in on his second major. But then the Italian came to the par-three 12th and put his tee-shot in the water, and he also found water at the 15th. Woods birdied the 15th and 16th and came to the last knowing a bogey would secure his 15th major. Finally. After holing the winning putt. He had completed the seemingly impossible comeback.

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