Tiger Woods is one of the greatest golfers of all time and has had countless moments that deserve their own article, but this article will pick the three that had every golf fan in awe.
3. Completing the Tiger Slam
In April of 2001, Woods would win his second career green jacket and would hold all four majors for the first time in the history of golf. He was playing golf at a level that no one in the history of golf has ever done.
Woods would hold onto a Saturday lead, something that became automatic, by beating David Duval by two strokes. The Tiger Slam started with a 15-stroke dismantling of the rest of the golf world in the 2000 U.S. Open.
The golf world would be at the mercy of Tiger for the better part of the next two years as he would go on to win six of the next ten majors after the 2000 U.S. Open. Tiger or the field was an actual betting option in Las Vegas sportsbooks, something that will never happen in golf again.
2. Woods’ Chip in at 16 at the 2005 Masters
A chip that launched Nike to the center of the golf world when the Nike Swoosh showed for what seemed like 5 seconds, while Woods’ ball hung on the edge of the cup before falling for a birdie that would help him win his fourth Masters championship.
A shot that the announcer said he would be lucky to get within five feet of the cup he ended up making, something that became common for his career. Tiger would have to win a playoff against Chris DiMarco, and he would do just that by birdieing the 18th hole that was acting as the playoff hole.
The Crazy thing is Woods’ chip-in gave him a two-stroke lead with only two holes remaining, but he would go on to bogey both and it was the chip that allowed him a chance to win it in a playoff. Any other golfer would have been lucky to make par, but Woods found a way to birdie it.
1. Return to Glory: Winning Major #15
From his 14th major win at the 2008 U.S. Open, he would go 11 years before winning another major. Scandal, injury, and controversy followed Woods for all 11 of those years, and there was nothing better than seeing him return to the top of the golf world by winning his fifth Masters.
After tapping in to secure his 15th major title, Woods would celebrate by hugging his son, similar to when he won his first major by hugging his father. It was a perfect full circle to a career that is the greatest in the history of golf.
Tiger could still add another moment to this list as he still is playing, and I wouldn’t put it past him. But, as it stands now, this moment was the icing on the cake to a historic career.
BEST BETS FOR SANTA ANITA PARK’S TWO GRADED RACES ON MARCH 11
