Tiger at the Masters - My Favorite Shot
It's probably not one that anyone but total golf sickos think about
As anyone who cares about sports knows, Tiger Woods is playing in The Masters this week. Just a few weeks ago that seemed impossible. Woods was in a horrific car accident just over a year ago - and was recovering from back surgery at that time. His leg was crushed so badly there were, apparently, real concerns it might need to be amputated. And he finished the first round at -1, just outside the top-10.
Tiger, of course, has won The Masters five times, the most recent in 2019 which was one of the greatest sports moments of my lifetime. Over the years he’s hit an incredible amount of shots there, with his putt on 16 being one most people cite over and over.
But it was his lag putt on the 9th hole in 2019 that sticks with me. Yes, a lag putt. (For those who don’t know what this means, a good lag putt is a putt that does NOT go in the hole, but leaves you with a tap-in for your next shot.) The shot that sticks with me so much didn’t even go in the hole.
Because here’s why - Tiger’s approach into the 9th hole left him with not just 70 feet to putt out, but downhill with so many bends in it, it seemed an immediate three putt. If you’d given me the putter, god only knows how long that’s taking me to hole out.
But here’s what Tiger did.
Look at where Tiger is aiming and then look at the flag. The putt almost went off the putting surface onto the fringe.
About a million things could have gone wrong, but it was perfect. And it left him walking off the first nine at -12 instead of worse than that. So, so good.
I’m posting this as Tiger finishes up his second nine on Day 2, and by all accounts he should not only make the cut but he’s within some fighting distance of current leader Scottie Scheffler, formerly mentioned in this space. I don’t really care what he does this weekend (unless he wins, in which case I will care very, very much) but I’m so happy Tiger is back and reasonably healthy.
And I’ll never forget this putt from 2019.