Top 5 Most Iconic Tiger Woods Moments at the U.S. Open Explored

There are very few in the world who can say that they have a better record than Tiger Woods in the U.S. Open. The few golfers who have won it more times than him rank among the greatest in golf. Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus have all lifted the title 4 times. But no one has been as dominant as the 82-time champion in the prestigious event.

Woods has won the title thrice, in 2000, 2002, and 2008, matching the record Hale Irwin set in 1990, 6 years before he made his debut. On all three occasions, he was involved in some memorable moments that changed the perception of how challenging it is to win the major. We’re here to look at 5 of those historic moments of Tiger Woods in the U.S. Open.

Putt at dusk

Tiger Woods was still climbing up the ladder in the second round of his first-ever and most emphatic run in the U.S. Open in 2000. He started Friday at 4:40 P.M. due to long weather delays. The bell had already rung by the time he was setting up his tee at the 12th hole. A long 40 feet of grass lay between him and the cup. What’s more? There was no obligation for him to sink the ball then. He could have taken it over to the next day in better light. But that’s not the Tiger we all know, right?

He swung his putter and struck the ball. It rolled over at the perfect pace, just enough to reach the cup. The read was perfect in terms of pace and the flow of the green as the ball dropped for a birdie to close the second round. It was followed by Woods’ trademark punch upper cut to the air as he celebrated one of the most iconic shots in the history of the U.S. Open.

“It’s just not a fair fight” – Roger Maltbie

Before he ended the day on the 12th, Woods faced another mountainous challenge on the 6th hole. Sitting at 5-under par after a 5th hole bogey, he hit the driver into the rough. What he faced next would probably give nightmares to any other golfer. But for Mr. T, it was just another day in the office.

"It's just not a fair fight."@TigerWoods was on another level during the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. pic.twitter.com/DDpvhglU4z

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) February 4, 2023

He had to scoop over a set of tall trees and find the fairway on the hilltop of the 6th hole at Pebble Beach. Anything on and around the fairway would have been fine. If one took the risk and failed, then it would be hard to determine where their ball went. But Woods was a risk-taker, and he tried to nail the 202-yard shot as close to the green as possible. Luck favored the brave, and the 82-time champion had bribed it for extra favors that evening. The ball bounced off the fairway and rolled down the edge of the green, ready for an excellent putt. Two more strokes and that was a birdie. As an NBC announcer, Roger Maltbie stated, “His strength is not an advantage. It’s just not a fair fight.”

A sheer display of dominance

Over the course of four days, Tiger Woods absolutely annihilated everyone at Pebble Beach Golf Links. While all his peers failed to make par, Mr. T was aiming to set a new major record. By the end of the fourth round, Woods ended at 12-under par 272. His closest opponent at Pebble Beach? Ernie Els sitting at +3, second on the leaderboard. The difference between the two individuals was 15 strokes. Yes, the South African had managed a 3-over par 287 to take the second biggest paycheck of the 2000 U.S. Open. But considering the deficit between Woods and the rest of the field, can we really call anyone else a winner?

Eagles are flying!

2008 was certainly not the best performance of Tiger Woods in the U.S. Open. However, he still showcased excellence across all four rounds of the event. Woods was constantly fighting his errors by scoring magnificent holes, especially in the second and third rounds. On Friday, he managed to score an eagle after an excellent approach shat that landed around 8 feet from the 13th hole. What followed was an easy putt in after an intense read of the green.

On Saturday, Woods repeated the feat on the 13th hole. The only difference was, this time around, he covered a much larger distance than the easy 8-footer a day prior. He was about 50 feet away from the cup as he lined up for an outstanding putt that was not only perfectly paced but also accurately read. Only a few holes later at the 18th, Woods was facing another mammoth task. A 40-foot putt that would have given him the outright lead. As he was lining up his putt, the commentator stated how he was aiming about two and a half feet to the left. He swung the putter, and the ball rolled and rolled, turning right and at a perfect pace to drop for his third eagle of the tournament. That’s when the commentator said, “That’s what you called, limping home,” hinting at the ACL injury Tiger Woods was recovering from during his run at Torrey Pines.

Last-minute save

Teeing off on the 72nd hole of the 2008 U.S. Open, Woods was still sitting one stroke behind Rocco Mediate. This was his last shot at tying the lead, if not outright winning it. On the par-5 18th hole, he hit his 3rd shot 12 feet from the cup. Mediate had already completed his round and was looking on as the 3-time U.S. Open champion was setting up his putt. He struck the ball ever so perfectly for it to roll over and drop for a birdie and to force another 18 holes against the veteran golfer. Mediate and Woods battled it out in the playoffs the next day. That’s all the Big Cat needed to win his last U.S. Open title.

The post Top 5 Most Iconic Tiger Woods Moments at the U.S. Open Explored appeared first on EssentiallySports.