The Loop
Watch and marvel at Tiger Woods pulling off the "hardest pitch" shot of his career 15 years ago at the World Cup of Golf
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The World Cup of Golf kicks off on Thursday at Kingston Heath in Melbourne, Australia. And although there's already been plenty of drama surrounding several of the players picked to represent their countries, it's highly doubtful we'll see anything quite as exciting as the finish that unfolded 15 years ago.
If you've never seen this unbelievable shot by Tiger Woods at the 2001 WGC-World Cup of Golf, you're in for quite the Thanksgiving treat. And if you have, just count it as a bonus appetizer before your Turkey Day feast -- and a great dinner conversation topic that shouldn't ruffle anyone's feathers.
Woods played with David Duval that week in Gotemba, Japan. And the American duo's title defense seemed over when needing an eagle to get into a playoff on the final hole, Duval missed the green with his approach shot on the par-5 closing hole at the Taiheiyo Club. It left Woods with a chip/pitch off a downslope in the rough. Oh yeah, he didn't have much green to work with and the shot required him to bank his golf ball into a mound. And again, he had to MAKE it.
The announcer sets the shot up by saying, "But can he find the magic to chip it in to tie?" And Woods' response was a resounding yes. Watch and marvel:
Duval's stunned reaction is also great. Woods and Duval lost in a playoff to South Africa's team of Ernie Els and Retief Goosen, but it's Tiger's shot that people will remember from that event.
When Woods holed a flop shot from behind the 16th green in the final round of the 2013 Memorial, Jack Nicklaus said, "I don't think under the circumstances I've ever seen a better shot." But here was Woods' response when told of Jack's assessment:
"It was one of the hardest ones I've pulled off. I think probably the hardest pitch not too many people saw was the one in Japan in the World Cup to get into the playoff. But obviously you guys never saw it," he said while laughing. "That was a pretty sweet shot."
Yes it was. On Tuesday, Skratch TV tweeted this edited version that makes it a little easier to see the actual shot. Either way, it still goes in, but it's another excuse to watch it again.
"Oh, Tiger Woods! The things he does at certain moments is quite incredible," the other commentator blurts out after he holes it.
Quite right.
Woods, 40, plans to make his latest comeback to competitive golf Dec. 1 at the Hero World Challenge. Even with expectations for him at an all-time low, with so many moments like these to look back on, it's no wonder people are still so excited to see him play again.