Trying Again on the Prime 10 Moments in World Golf

Unlike a lot of high-intensity sports, golf might seem to be relatively easy on the body, given the walk through 18 holes over five hours. That’s a notion though. Ask those who play at the competitive level in the world of golf.

The seemingly laid-back sport is among the sternest tests of the mind, matched by very few disciplines. Down the ages, experts have maintained how a round of golf is more about misses than highs in the quest for perfection.

But then, this is what sport is about. The highs and lows are essential to build character and champions. Failures are the stepping stone to success, and when landmarks follow, the vindication of treading the right path spurs an athlete to strive for greater heights.

With the PGA Tour currently underway, we’ve put together a compilation of some of the best moments from the highest echelons of world golf.

Greatest moments in world golf so far

1. Tiger Woods’ legendary chip-in on the 16th hole at the 2005 Masters

Tiger Woods has contributed to some of the best moments and shots in golf history during the past 27 years. However, it’s difficult to forget Woods’ most legendary Augusta National moment of a chip-in for birdie on the par-3 16th during the 2005 Masters’ final round. He engaged Chris DiMarco in a tense contest before the final round. The golfer’s opening shot at the 16th hole went past the green. His ball touched down over the pin but gradually descended before settling into the hole. It’s a one-in-a-million manoeuver that seemed inconceivable to anyone but this champion. Woods gave his trademark fierce fist pump and his caddie a hearty high-five amid jubilant cheers of the crowd.

2. Se Ri Pak’s debut in 1998 puts South Korea on the LPGA map

Se Ri Pak was the only South Korean woman to play on the tour when she joined the LPGA in 1998. The 20-year-old’s two Major victories in her first season, the U.S. Women’s Open and LPGA Championship, inspired a wave of female Korean golfers to take up golf. Her 19-year career has had an unparalleled impact on the women’s game, and in 2007, she became the first South Korean to be inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. She is considered a pioneer of the game in South Korea, and has served as a role model to the following generations of golfers who have gone on to compete at the LPGA.

3. Justin Rose hits Olympics’ first hole in one

For the first time since the Summer Olympics of 1904, golf was played at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. As golf made a successful comeback to the schedule, Englishman Justin Rose achieved Olympic history by recording the first hole-in-one. The 2013 US Open champion watched as his tee shot landed in front of the cup on the fourth par-3 hole of his opening round and gently rolled into the hole. Rose broke into a big smile, raised both hands in the air, and high-fived everyone around him when the ball disappeared. It was a fitting tribute to golf’s return to the Olympic Games.

4. Inspiration for generations: Jack Nicklaus’ 18th Major in 1986

Jack Nicklaus, nicknamed “The Golden Bear,” won a phenomenal 18 Major championships between 1962 and 1986. His final victory came at the Masters at the revered Augusta National Golf Club in 1986. The 46-year-old Nicklaus had not experienced much success prior to the tournament, and many thought he was past his prime. Nicklaus wasn’t the favourite going into the final round. He did, however, shoot a back-nine 30 to win the Masters. With six career victories at the Masters, Nicklaus holds the record for the most titles. Nicklaus was 46 years and 82 days old when he won the Masters in 1986, becoming the tournament’s oldest champion.

5. Tiger Woods: Youngest to win the Masters Tournament, 1997

With a stunning 12-stroke victory at the Masters Tournament in 1997, Tiger Woods, a prodigy since he announced his arrival on the scene, fulfilled his destiny of becoming the greatest golfer ever. His 12-shot victory over second-place finisher Tom Kite is the biggest margin in the tournament’s history. A respected golf publication referred to the 21-year-old sensation’s victory as “the dawn of dominance” and an “epic victory that shook the game”. Woods slashed his way through all four rounds, including a third-round 65 (7-under) that put him in the lead going into the final round. On the final day, he changed the game forever by winning the first of what would become 15 professional Major golf titles, trailing only Jack Nicklaus, who still holds the record with 18 victories.

6. Battle of Brookline, Ryder Cup, 1999

The 1999 Ryder Cup, held at Brookline, was one of the most intense and unforgettable in the tournament‘s nearly 100-year history. In the infamous “Battle of Brookline,” Team USA made an astonishing comeback to defeat Team Europe, 14.5–13.5, and win the trophy. With a 10-6 advantage going into the singles final round, Europe only needed four more points to win back the Ryder Cup. The American team, which included greats like Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Jim Furyk, fought back to win the first six games before claiming the title. Many people still recall the odd clothing Team USA wore on the last day of the 1999 World Cup. Certainly one of the best and most memorable moments in the world of golf, for sure.

7. Dustin Johnson: ‘It’s hard to talk’ at 2020 Masters

The COVID-19 outbreak made the 2020 Masters anything but “normal”. The world at a standstill amid untold misery inflicted by the virus, the year’s first Major was pushed from April to November, a first for the competition. There were no spectators present, the Par 3 contest was canceled, and there were no brightly coloured azaleas in bloom. Nevertheless, golf fans all across the world appreciated the efforts made to continue the tournament despite difficult circumstances. With a final-round score of 4-under 68, Dustin Johnson won the 2020 Masters and received his first Green Jacket. Johnson’s post-tournament interview was notably emotional, and he had to pause numerous times to collect himself. Given how much Johnson values the victory at Augusta, it was a wonderful moment in golf history.

8. Tiger Woods’ ‘Tiger Slam’

Tiger Woods pulled off a feat that no other male golfer had ever achieved, and the phrase “Tiger Slam” was coined to describe it in 2001. A golfer who wins all four of those tournaments consecutively — meaning he holds all four Major championship titles at the same time — but over the course of two calendar years has completed the Tiger Slam. In 2000, Woods won the U.S. Open, British Open, and PGA Championship, the year’s final three Major championships. The following year, he won the Masters, the first Major championship of 2001. Four wins in a row, four consecutive Major championships, but not all in the same year, hence the term “Tiger Slam.”

9. Adam Scott ends Australia’s Masters’ drought (2013)

Adam Scott became the first Australian to win the Masters Tournament in one of the most thrilling final rounds in Masters’ history. The Green Jacket was Scott’s after a two-hole playoff against Angel Cabrera that required a birdie on the 18th hole. Scott thereafter became the symbol of a promising future for Australian golf. The victory marked the Australians’ long-awaited first Major victory and the continent’s even longer-awaited Green Jacket. Scott matched his career-high rank of No. 3 in the Official World Golf Ranking following his triumphant moment at the Masters.

10. Annika Sorenstam: First woman in 59 years to play in a PGA Tour event

Swedish professional golfer Annika Sorenstam made history in 2003 when she teed off alongside men in a PGA Tour event for the first time in more than 50 years. For the first time since Babe Zaharias qualified for the 1945 Los Angeles Open, Annika received an invitation to play in the PGA Tour’s Bank of America Colonial tournament in Fort Worth, Texas. Prior to her retirement in 2008, she won 10 Major events, 17 times on the Ladies European Tour, and 72 times on the LPGA Tour.

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Pearl Lam

(Main and featured image: Stephen Munday/ Allsport/ Getty Images)

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

– What is the most-watched golf tournament in the world?

One of golf’s four Major tournaments, The Masters, is regarded as the sport’s most watched competition on a global scale. The week at the Augusta National is like no other, and it isn’t without reason for its ranking atop the Majors.

– Does Tiger Woods have a hole in one?

Tiger Woods’ phenomenal golf statistics are hardly surprising given that he is one of the greatest players in history. In his career, Woods has won more than 80 PGA Tour contests and 15 Major championships. In his professional career, he has recorded 20 holes-in-one.

– What is the best golf shot in history?

Opinion will vary in the golf world, but there is unanimity that it involves Tiger Woods. Our pick is Tiger’s impossible recovery, after an errant tee shot, on the 16th hole at the 2005 Masters Tournament. Commentators had expressed despair, but Tiger proved them wrong.