BACK IN THE

The ‘Tiger show’ should have been over some time ago. We were all moving on; even his most obsessed fans had questioned the great man’s capacity to overcome spinal fusion surgery. Piece by piece, however, Woods has rebuilt his game. After finishing second at the USPGA Championship in August, the 14-time Major winner went on to claim his 80th PGA Tour title at the season-ending Tour Championship. For many, the comeback will only be fully complete when he lands Major number 15 – after all, it’s over a decade since that famous victory at Torrey Pines. Last season he described himself as a “walking miracle” on the eve of his first Masters for three years. This year, he’s a different animal; a dangerous one, buoyed by the incredible events of the last 12 months and, for the time being at least, he’s fit and healthy. Once again, Woods has Augusta in his sights…

A trip down memory lane

October, 1996, and less than two months after turning professional, Woods wins his first PGA Tour title – the Las Vegas Invitational. Two more victories follow in quick time and he heads to the ‘97 Masters as the talk of the tournament. Defending champion, Nick Faldo, playing alongside the muchhyped prodigy during round one, watches on as his jittery playing

partner shoots 40 on the front nine. Both players struggle, but during the walk to the 10th tee something happens that changes the game forever – the 21-year-old wonderkid gets angry. He starts the back nine with a birdie. Then, on 12, he chips in. Forget the win in Las Vegas, Eldrick Tont Woods’ career started here. He was about to turn the golfing world upside down.

Record breaker

Few could have predicted what happened after he slumped to four-over through nine. After all, this was just his third Masters appearance and he’d failed to break par in any of his previous six rounds, finishing tied 41st in 1995 and missing the cut in ‘96.

Those rounds were not wasted experiences, however. He had been doing his homework. During practice rounds he was learning the secrets of how to unlock Augusta from the likes of Jack Nicklaus and Fred Couples. By the time ‘97 rolled around, Woods, who won three straight US Amateur Championships between 1994 and 1996, was not there to make up the numbers.

He followed his birdie on 12 with another on 13. On the par-5 15th, he hit a wedge to four feet for eagle, before gaining another stroke at the 17th. Out in 40, back in 30. The hype was justified – and it cranked up a notch on Friday when, a little after 5.30pm, he took the Masters lead for the first ever time. Once again, he showed his muscle, pounding drives to spots no one else could reach, reducing Augusta National to a pitch and putt tournament he alone contested. He averaged 323 yards off the tee and never needed any more than a 7-iron for his second shot.

His second-round 66 set up a Saturday showdown with Colin Montgomerie, who was on a quest to claim the World No.1 spot. It wasn’t a fair fight. Woods shot 65 to Monty’s 74. The Scot trudged off the course in a state of shock.

Sunday was a procession for the champion elect, who teed off with a nine-shot lead. In posting 18-under he beat the 271 tournament-record total set by Nicklaus (1965) and Ray Floyd (1976) by one shot. The winner of the ‘other’ tournament was Tom Kite, 12 shots back – another record.

Woods scored a personal triumph that day, but this was a far-reaching victory. His achievement carried added weight at a club that had discriminated against black golfers. Woods became the first Masters winner of African or Asian descent, 22 years after Lee Elder became the first black golfer to compete at Augusta National.

The ‘Tiger Slam’

The following year, Woods finished in a tie for eighth and he made the top 20 in ‘99. In 2000, he came home fifth, six shots off the pace. Respectable results though they were, this was a man only interested in ‘ Ws’. In 2001, he had an extra incentive. Having won the US Open, Open and USPGA in 2000, he teed up at Augusta as hot favourite to win an unprecedented fourth Major in a row. “It will be the greatest achievement in modern day golf,” said Augusta National chairman Hootie Johnson on the eve of the 65th US Masters. Like ’97, he began his quest with a bogey, and just as he did four years previously, he opened with a two-under-par 70. On Friday, he changed gear, posting a 66, which he followed with a 68 to head into the final round one shot clear of Phil Mickelson.

His explosive power was giving him a significant advantage. At a time when the average drive on the PGA Tour was a fraction under 280 yards, Woods was crushing the ball well beyond the 300-yard mark. “It’s [Augusta] a par 68, the par 5s are just long par 4s for him,” said Chris Dimarco, one of those in the chasing pack. “That’s why he’s so good. It’s because he doesn’t look like he’s done anything and he shoots 68.”

However, on Sunday, Woods opened the door straight away with a bogey at the first, which dropped him back into a four-way share for the lead. For World No.2 Mickelson, playing alongside Woods, this was a chance to claim his first Major. Into the back nine, however, and David Duval emerged as Woods’ main threat with five birdies in six holes. When Woods bogeyed the par-3 12th, they were level at 14-under and the ‘Tiger Slam’ was under threat.

Woods responded with a birdie on 13 and was one clear with three to play. Although he uncharacteristically three-putted the par-5 15th, there was to be no sting in the tale and his monstrous drive on 18 closed the door on Duval. It left him the stage to close out in style, and he duly obliged. When he pulled his cap over his face he contemplated the scale of his achievement. Woods had Green Jacket number two and for two months held all four Major titles.