His last seven appearances include three withdrawals, one missed cut, a T60, a T45 and a T18. Yes, we are talking about Tiger Woods, the golfer who once dominated the OWGR for a total of 683 weeks. In 2021, Woods’s bone-chilling car crash accident led to a slew of subsequent surgeries, and back problems. The pro was, thus, unable to dish out his best, causing him to fall in his rankings. Despite all the hiccups, he still poses a grave threat to many in the upcoming major.
Even at his current rank of 807, the 15-time major champion has a good chance of regaining his lost position on the leaderboard if he emerges victorious at the upcoming event. That’s not all; he can even surpass the likes of defending champ Brooks Koepka if he manages to do so at the PGA Championship.
Is Tiger Woods a concern for other golfers?
A tweet was shared by NUCLR GOLF mentioning how the 48-year-old athlete “climb as high as #30 in the OWGR should he turn back the clock and win at Valhalla this week.” The figure of 100 points the major is projected to award the champion golfer is more than enough to increase his tally to a total of 104.45815.
This, interestingly, would allow Tiger Woods to shoot past many LIV Golf Pros, including Koepka, who is currently placed at No. 39 with 93.11344 points. Adding to the list of athletes on the breakaway league Mr.T would surpass Cameron Smith, who is at No. 61, Joaquin Niemann at No. 91, Bryson DeChambeau at No. 124, and Dustin Johnson at No. 392, among others.
If you think that’s all there is to the threat, then you’re sorely wrong! Back in 2000, the then-25-year-old Woods became a part of history by becoming the first golfer since 1953 after Ben Hogan to win three major championships in a single year (a.k.a. the Triple Crown of Golf). This feat he achieved at the Valhalla Golf Course, after raking in victories in the U.S. Open and the Open Championship, not to mention the other four wins he garnered at the Mercedes Championship, the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, the Bay Hill Invitational, and the Memorial Tournament.
The legend of the game would then go on to claim his second Masters title the following year, allowing him to complete the iconic Tiger Slam. The 2000 PGA Championship holds a special place in the golf community, all thanks to it making him part of history that was once owned by one of golf’s legends.
A look back at Woods’s performance at the 2000 PGA Championship
With figures of 66-67-70-67 over the four days of play, Tiger Woods was able to tie with Bob May at the top of the leaderboard with a score of 18-under 270. In the following three-hole-aggregate playoff, the 15-time major champ was able to beat May by going 1-under, with a birdie, as opposed to the latter staying even-par.
USA Today via Reuters
Feb 15, 2024; Pacific Palisades, California, USA; Tiger Woods on the tenth hole during the first round of The Genesis Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Jason Parkhurst-USA TODAY Sports
Aside from the birdie that helped Woods win the event, he was able to card a total of 25 of the same over the four rounds, along with five bogeys and a double bogey on the par-4, 12th on Saturday. At the same time, May’s impressive performance, pushing the athlete to a three-hole playoff, was more than enough to earn him the title of “Tiger’s rival.”
Despite a missed cut in his subsequent appearance on the grounds in 2014, Woods seems to have a special connection to the course. Will the connection work wonders for Woods this season and be a cause for worry among other athletes at Valhalla?
