As Bill Pennington of the New York Times said “Almost no one saw it coming.” But by the end of the 1997 Masters, Tiger Woods had produced one of the greatest performances in golf history. At 21 years old he showed the world his early success was just a preview of a career that would thrill fans for decades.
In this post we will look at how Woods turned early setbacks into a record breaking victory that changed his career and captivated the world. We’ll recount his rocky start, the turn around and the lasting impact of his week at Augusta and invite you to relive the magic of a tournament that changed the game.
Table of Contents
A Rocky Start
Before the tournament even began some people doubted he would make a big impact. And after his opening nine holes at Augusta, the doubt grew. Woods took 40 shots and was four over par. He looked lost.
This wasn’t his first trip to Augusta. He had missed the cut the previous year as an amateur and finished 41st in 1995. Although he had already won three PGA Tour events and signed multimillion dollar deals with Nike and Titleist he still had to prove he could shine in the biggest spotlight in golf.
Turning It Around
Paired with three time Masters champion Nick Faldo in the first round, Woods looked shaky. Faldo later said they were “knocking it all over the place” on the front nine. But he improved dramatically after the turn. By the end of the first round he was two under par.
Faldo said it was the 10th hole when Woods turned it around. Woods birdied the 10th and then chipped in for another birdie on the 12th.
“That shot was basically the beginning of the rest of his career” Faldo said.
Pete McDaniel who co-authored Training a Tiger with Woods’ father Earl said Woods drew on intense anger to fuel his comeback. As McDaniel recalled when Woods went to the 10th tee he flipped a switch. From that moment on he never looked back.
Round Two
Woods took that mindset into Friday and shot 66 the lowest of the day. His playing partner Paul Azinger said how he went eagle-birdie-birdie on three consecutive holes and everyone was in awe. That 66 put him in the lead three shots clear of the field. Golf stars like Colin Montgomerie, Fred Couples and José María Olazábal were close behind but Woods still had two days to go.
Day Three Domination
If people wondered if he could keep it up Saturday answered that question. While his rivals stumbled Woods shot 65 and moved to a nine shot lead. At that point Montgomerie said “There’s no chance humanly possible that Tiger is going to lose this tournament. No way”. Woods was in charge and a record breaking victory seemed inevitable.
Sealing the Win in Style
On Sunday wearing his trademark red sweater Woods showed no signs of slowing down. He shot 69 and stretched his lead to 12 shots, a record at the time. He also became the youngest champion in Masters history. His total score of 270 was the lowest ever recorded at Augusta at the time and stood until 2015 and was beaten in 2020.
In that one week he announced himself as the dominant force. Although people knew he had talent nobody saw it coming. Golf had a new superstar and Woods’ future victories would keep him at the top for years.
Later Years and a Stunning Return
Woods went on to win major after major but his road wasn’t always smooth. Injuries and personal challenges led to a quieter period for a while. Then in 2019 at 43 he stunned the world again by winning the Masters. This time the winning margin was one shot not 12 but it meant just as much.
Former rival Phil Mickelson was generous in his praise calling it a remarkable achievement. Like 1997 many doubted Woods had another major in him and again he proved them wrong.
Bottom Line
Woods once said:
“its hard to believe how much that one week has meant to me in my life.”
28 years later fans still look back on that 1997 Masters as the week that made Woods a legend. He went in as a young hopeful and came out a champion who changed golf.
