The 9 best dad moments in PGA Tour history

Dads love golf. It's a scientific fact. They love it more than the cheesy brand of jokes named after them, lawnmower minutiae, and yelling at NBA refs for not calling traveling. So with Father's Day on the way (you remembered, didn't you?), we took a look back on our favorite dad moments in PGA Tour history. From Jack's iconic '86 Masters run with Jackie on the bag to Tiger's 2019 triumph, join us as we relive every hug, every goosebump, and, in the case of the Dalys, every matching outfit. By the time, you're done, something tells you'll want to give a pops a call...provided he doesn't start talking about that damn lawnmower again.

Tiger Woods - 2019 Masters

Tiger Woods had gone on record several times, saying the main driving force behind his comeback was his competitive drive and love of golf, sure, but mostly it was about giving his kids a chance to remember their dad the way the rest of the world already did—as a champion. We don’t need to remind you what happened in April, but needless to say there wasn’t a dry eye in the house (or Butler Cabin, for that matter.)

Phil Mickelson - 2017 U.S. Open

A lot of the moments on this list look pretty similar: Dad wins big tournament, kids come running out to greet him, everybody smiles and cries and celebrates. Phil Mickelson’s finest dad moment on tour, however, is notable not for the golf, but the absence of it. In 2017, still hunting for his career Grand Slam, Mickelson relinquished one of his few remaining opportunities, withdrawing from the U.S. Open to attend his daughter Amanda’s high school graduation. We know this is going to sound weird, but it’s true: Some things are just more important than golf.

Justin Thomas - 2017 PGA Championship

Most young golfers learn the game from their fathers. That’s normal. Slightly less normal, however, is a PGA pro raising a pint-sized gamer who goes on to win a PGA Championship with his dad coaching him at every step along the way. But such was the case with Mike and Justin Thomas, who capped an incredible final round at Quail Hollow in 2017 with a hug that told the whole damn story without a single word.

RELATED: 2019 Father's Day Golf Gift Guide: Golf Gifts for Dad

Henrik Stenson - 2017 Valspar Championship

As any father will tell you, parenting usually isn't something that goes according to script. Just ask Henrik Stenson, who in the middle of his second round at the 2017 Valspar Championship was greeted by an unexpected fan running up the fairway: His daughter. Henrik, being Henrik, immediately turned the moment into one for the scrapbook, giving his daughter a hug and depositing her with the rest of the family before continuing the rest of his round.

Now time for a musical interlude!!!

Bill Haas - 2015 Presidents Cup

Call it nepotism or a father’s intuition (is that a thing?), but when U.S. Presidents Cup captain Jay Haas used one of his picks on his son Bill in 2015, a few eyebrows were raised around the golf world. A few days later, after Yung Haas, as he's known in hip-hop circles, claimed the decisive singles victory to help the U.S. win 15.5-14.5, however, said eyebrows returned to their normal repose and the U.S. Team to the winner’s circle.

Tiger Woods - 2006 Open Championship

While Tiger and Earl Woods’ embrace following Tiger’s first-ever major win at the 1997 Masters is one for the history books, it was the 2006 Open Championship where Earl’s presence shined the brightest...even if he wasn’t actually there. When the final putt of Tiger’s 11th major championship—and the first following the passing of his father two months earlier—dropped, a wave of emotion unlike anything the icon had displayed before washed over him, sobbing uncontrollably at first in the arms of caddie Stevie Williams and then those of his family. A lot has changed since then, but this remains one of the most humanizing moments for one of golf’s most inhuman figures.

David Duval - 1999 Players Championship

Q: Who are the only father/son duo to win PGA tournaments on the same day? A: Bob and David Duval, who won the PGA Champions Tour's Emerald Coast Classic and the Players Championship on the very same afternoon in 1999. While certainly a heartwarming story, two decades later the Duvals are still arguing over who’s buying the drinks.

Jack Nicklaus - 1986 Masters

Perhaps the definitive Nicklaus win, the Golden Bear’s unlikely ‘86 Masters charge is legendary for a great many reasons. There was the final round performance, including a truly, utterly ridiculous 30 coming in. There were the benchmarks—18 majors, six masters, 46 years old. But lost somewhat in the almost fairytale yarn is the fact his son Jackie was on the bag, famously willing shots into the hole down the stretch. Funnily enough, Jack also owns the best grandfather moment in Masters history, watching as Gary Nicklaus Jr. dunked an incredible hole-in-one during the 2018 Masters Par 3 Contest.

This photo

Pretty much speaks for itself, doesn’t it?