In the three years that have passed since his historic triumph at
the 1997 Masters Tournament at Augusta, Tiger Woods has firmly etched
himself in the annals of golf history, and were he to retire today
at the age of 24, he would most certainly be remembered as one of
the most dominant players to ever grace the game. Although there
still remains a host of critics who claim that Woods has yet to measure
up to the likes of Sarazen, Hogan, Nicklaus, and Player, there is
compelling evidence to the contrary, and as Tiger’s march through
history continues, his critics grow increasingly few and far between.
Perhaps the thing that distinguishes Woods from the rest of the best
is not his devastatingly long drives, pinpoint approach shots, and
excellent putting, but rather his aura of invincibility, unparalleled
charisma, and pure passion for the game. Woods has injected
life into a traditionally dull sport, and has attracted both a new
breed of golfer to courses around the world, and a new generation
of fans to PGA galleries.
Tiger Woods’ meteoric rise to the top of Golf’s upper echelons was
not at all unexpected, however, no one can claim to have foreseen
how utterly dominant he would become at such a young age. Although
his record on the PGA Tour speaks for itself, it is Woods’ consistency
and ability to rise to the occasion that sets him apart from the rest
of Golf’s elite. During the 2000 PGA season, Woods made the
cut in all 18 events he participated in, had 15 top-ten finishes,
13 top-three finishes, and won 9 tournaments. In 2000 Woods
also became only the second player in history to win three of the
four Majors in one year, capturing the Tour Championship in a dramatic
playoff, and the US Open and British Open by record-setting margins.
Woods’ historic victory at the British Open at St. Andrews marked
the completion of his Career Grand Slam, putting him in an elite club
with the likes of Sarazan, Hogan, Player, and Nicklaus, and made him
the youngest golfer in history to achieve this distinction.
The fact that Woods holds scoring records at all four Majors lends
further support to the argument that Woods is the greatest ever, and
leaves him with just two goals for the rest of his career, accomplishing
a single-season Grand Slam, and eclipsing Jack Nicklaus’ record of
18 career Major Championships.
Golf
