1997 : TIGER WOODS WINS FIRST MAJOR:
On April 13, 1997, in Augusta, Georgia, 21-year-old Tiger Woods wins
the prestigious Masters Tournament by a record 12 strokes. It was
Woods' first victory in one of golf's four major championships--the
U.S. Open, the British Open, the PGA Championship, and the
Masters--and the greatest performance by a professional golfer in more
than a century.
Eldrick "Tiger" Woods was born in a suburb of Los Angeles, California,
on December 30, 1975. The only child of an African-American father and
a Thai mother, Woods was encouraged from infancy by his father for a
career in golf. At the age of two, he teed off against comedian Bob
Hope on television's Mike Douglas Show. At five years old, he was
featured on the television show That's Incredible. At age eight, Tiger
won his first junior world championship, and in 1991, at age 15, he
became the youngest player ever to win the U.S. Junior Amateur
Championship. He also captured the 1992 and 1993 Junior Amateur
titles, and in 1994 accepted a scholarship to attend Stanford
University. That year, he came from six holes behind to win the first
of his three consecutive U.S. Amateur championships. He was 18 years
old and the youngest Amateur champion in history.
In 1995, Tiger played the Masters, his first professional major
championship. The Augusta National Golf Club, which runs the Masters,
had not let an African-American join its ranks until 1991. Woods
finished 41st in his first Masters appearance. In 1996, he won the
collegiate title. By this time, he was already attracting considerable
media attention and attracting throngs of new fans to the sport. After
claiming his third U.S. Amateur title, Woods left college and turned
professional in August 1996. Playing as a pro in eight Professional
Golfers' Association (PGA) events in 1996, he won a title and was
named the PGA Tour's outstanding rookie. In December 1996, he was
celebrated by the magazine Sports Illustrated as its "Sportsman of the
Year."
In professional play, most of Woods' opponents were in their late 30s
or early 40s. At 6'2" and 155 pounds, he was slender and athletic, and
had developed a devastating swing that routinely allowed him to hit
drives of more than 300 yards. He also had a reputation for mental
toughness and was a superb putter and chipper. In April 1997, all
these attributes came together for the most decisive victory in the
Masters' 44-year history.
His margin of victory--12 strokes--was the largest in the 20th
century, and second only to Old Tom Morris' 13-shot margin at the 1862
British Open. His score of 18-under-par 270 broke Jack Nicklaus'
32-year-old Masters record of 17-under-par 271. He was the youngest
golfer by two years to win the Masters and the first person of Asian
or African heritage to win a major. Never before had so many
spectators come to Augusta National, and never before had so many
people watched it on television.
By June 1997, Tiger was ranked No. 1 in the world. In 1999, he won
eight PGA tournaments, earned a record $6 million, and began a winning
streak that eventually tied Ben Hogan's 1948 streak, the second
longest in PGA history. In June 2000, he won his first U.S. Open
title, shooting a record 12-under-par 272 to finish 15 strokes ahead
of his nearest competitors. It was the greatest professional golf
performance in history, surpassing even his 1997 Masters' triumph and
Old Tom Morris' 1862 showing. In July 2000, he captured the British
Open, and in August the PGA championship. At the age of 24, he was the
youngest player ever to win all four major golf titles and just the
second to win three majors in a year.
history.com/tdih.do
the prestigious Masters Tournament by a record 12 strokes. It was
Woods' first victory in one of golf's four major championships--the
U.S. Open, the British Open, the PGA Championship, and the
Masters--and the greatest performance by a professional golfer in more
than a century.
Eldrick "Tiger" Woods was born in a suburb of Los Angeles, California,
on December 30, 1975. The only child of an African-American father and
a Thai mother, Woods was encouraged from infancy by his father for a
career in golf. At the age of two, he teed off against comedian Bob
Hope on television's Mike Douglas Show. At five years old, he was
featured on the television show That's Incredible. At age eight, Tiger
won his first junior world championship, and in 1991, at age 15, he
became the youngest player ever to win the U.S. Junior Amateur
Championship. He also captured the 1992 and 1993 Junior Amateur
titles, and in 1994 accepted a scholarship to attend Stanford
University. That year, he came from six holes behind to win the first
of his three consecutive U.S. Amateur championships. He was 18 years
old and the youngest Amateur champion in history.
In 1995, Tiger played the Masters, his first professional major
championship. The Augusta National Golf Club, which runs the Masters,
had not let an African-American join its ranks until 1991. Woods
finished 41st in his first Masters appearance. In 1996, he won the
collegiate title. By this time, he was already attracting considerable
media attention and attracting throngs of new fans to the sport. After
claiming his third U.S. Amateur title, Woods left college and turned
professional in August 1996. Playing as a pro in eight Professional
Golfers' Association (PGA) events in 1996, he won a title and was
named the PGA Tour's outstanding rookie. In December 1996, he was
celebrated by the magazine Sports Illustrated as its "Sportsman of the
Year."
In professional play, most of Woods' opponents were in their late 30s
or early 40s. At 6'2" and 155 pounds, he was slender and athletic, and
had developed a devastating swing that routinely allowed him to hit
drives of more than 300 yards. He also had a reputation for mental
toughness and was a superb putter and chipper. In April 1997, all
these attributes came together for the most decisive victory in the
Masters' 44-year history.
His margin of victory--12 strokes--was the largest in the 20th
century, and second only to Old Tom Morris' 13-shot margin at the 1862
British Open. His score of 18-under-par 270 broke Jack Nicklaus'
32-year-old Masters record of 17-under-par 271. He was the youngest
golfer by two years to win the Masters and the first person of Asian
or African heritage to win a major. Never before had so many
spectators come to Augusta National, and never before had so many
people watched it on television.
By June 1997, Tiger was ranked No. 1 in the world. In 1999, he won
eight PGA tournaments, earned a record $6 million, and began a winning
streak that eventually tied Ben Hogan's 1948 streak, the second
longest in PGA history. In June 2000, he won his first U.S. Open
title, shooting a record 12-under-par 272 to finish 15 strokes ahead
of his nearest competitors. It was the greatest professional golf
performance in history, surpassing even his 1997 Masters' triumph and
Old Tom Morris' 1862 showing. In July 2000, he captured the British
Open, and in August the PGA championship. At the age of 24, he was the
youngest player ever to win all four major golf titles and just the
second to win three majors in a year.
history.com/tdih.do
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