The replay has been shown so many times that an accurate count is impossible. (Millions feels right, but bajillions could be too.) The call by Gary Koch is one of the most iconic in golf history. (Tell me you haven’t uttered “Better than most” during a casual round, and I’ll tell you you’re lying.)
Tiger Woods’ sloping, slithering, serendipitous putt on the 17th green at TPC Sawgrass during the third round of the 2001 Players Championship is a shot that will never be forgotten. It’s only appropriate then that 25 years after it was struck, PGA Tour officials would commemorate the moment with a few special tributes during the third round of the 2026 Players Championship.
The most obvious step is use the same hole location this Saturday, five paces on, five paces from the left. The flag on top of the flagstick also has “Better than Most” stitched on it.
More uniquely, the cup itself pays tribute to Woods and the putt.
“I think it’s safe to say you could hit that putt 50 times and make it only once,” Koch says after Woods buried the putt. Johnny Miller follows: “That was just another Tiger moment. One of the great long putts I’ve ever seen.”
Being 25 years since the putt dropped, PGATour.com talked to Woods, filming a segment of him watching the putt and explaining his emotions.
“I just wanted to get the right speed and get out of there," Woods said. "That putt was quick. The group in front of me, I believe it was Fred Funk how four-putted from a similar spot.”
Fans go wild as Tiger Woods holes his 'better than most' putt on the 17th green at TPC Sawgrass during the third round of the 2001 Players Championship.
Bob Martin
Woods continued: “It was moving I don’t think it would have been within 8 or 10 feet if it didn’t hit the hole.
It’s by far the best long putt I’ve ever hit. Given the hole, just the iconic hole it is itself, to make that putt on that green with so much movement at that particular time with that much on the line to try to get in the final group, it meant a lot.”
Indeed, Woods would go on to be in the final group on Sunday and shoot a closing 67 when the event was weather delayed into Monday, claiming the first of his two Players Championship victories. A month later, he’d win the Masters to complete the “Tiger Slam” of being the reigning champion in all four majors.
