Tiger Woods’ return to glory and Jon Rahm’s pond-skipping shot - Five great moments from the Masters

Tiger roars for the first time A 21-year-old Tiger Woods had already made a name for himself in golfing circles before he arrived at Augusta in 1997 for his first major as a pro. Ad A success-laden amateur career, big commercial endorsements and three tournament victories in a few short months since joining the paid ranks had provided plenty of evidence that he was a special talent — but by the time he exited down Magnolia Lane, his fame had transcended the sport.

The Players Championship10 Years On: Tiger wins at The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass06/03/2023 AT 13:52 Initially, it didn’t look like he was about to rewrite the history books as he carded a 4-over 40 for his opening nine holes but he bounced back with a six-under 30 on the back nine to sit just three off the lead. Woods took control of the tournament with a second-round 66 followed by a 65 on the Saturday that propelled him into a nine-shot lead.

He added a final round 69 for what was then a record-low total of 270 (18-under) and a 12-shot victory, which remains the largest margin of victory at the Masters. Perhaps more significantly, with the victory, he also became the first African-American player to win a major and he did so at a club that only admitted its first black member in 1990.

That fact was probably not lost on Woods’ father Earl, who had been a pivotal figure in his development and had long been convinced his son was destined for greatness. As they embraced by the 18th green, it was clear that Woods had taken a big step on that journey.