We're coming up on a quarter century since Tiger Woods completed the Tiger Slam. And although golf's GOAT debate has plenty of people taking either Tiger or Jack, good luck finding someone who will argue that Woods winning four consecutive pro majors isn't the sport's greatest non-career accomplishment. But while his runaways at the 2000 U.S. Open and Open Championship as well as a Sunday pairing with Phil Mickelson at the 2001 Masters to cap the feat get most of the attention, it was the 2000 PGA Championship that provided the most drama during that historic stretch. By far.
That's because Woods faced his toughest test at Valhalla Golf Club. And it came from an unlikely challenger. But there were a lot of other interesting things happening that wild week in Louisville. Just no arrests like in 2024. Anyway, as we hit the 25-year anniversary of this major championship classic, here's a crash course on a tournament golf fans will never forget.
"The passing of the torch"
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Tiger Woods played with Jack Nicklaus the first two days at Valhalla, a course that Nicklaus designed. Woods was coming off blowout wins at both the U.S. Open (15 shots at Pebble Beach) and Open Championship (eight shots at St. Andrews). Nicklaus was making his final PGA Championship appearance. What a pairing! And what a job by the PGA of America giving the fans what they wanted to see!
Tiger and Vijay … smiling?
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Oh yeah, Woods and Nicklaus were joined by Vijay Singh, who won that year's Masters. We show you this photo because it might be the only picture of Woods and Singh enjoying each other's company on the golf course.
Woods started strong (obviously)
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Woods opened with 66, topping Nicklaus and Singh by 11 shots and grabbing a share of the opening lead with … wait, why don't you take a guess? In fact, we'll give you 50 guesses and you won't get it. Make that 100 guesses. OK, you'll never get it. The answer is …
Scott Dunlap
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Scott Dunlap? Yep, Scott Dunlap. Dunlap, who never won on the PGA Tour, remained in second place after 36 and 54 holes, but fell to T-9 with a final-round 75. Still, it turned out to be the best major championship finish of his career.
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Tiger's (old) team
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Look at that smiling trio of Tiger, Steve Williams and Butch Harmon. Now that's a Dream Team right there. They're going to win a LOT of tournaments and be together FOREVER! Oh. Right.
Jack being Jack
Nicklaus gave the Valhalla gallery one final thrill on Friday, nearly holing out his third shot on the par-5 18th to make the cut. Here it is at the 15-second mark:
What a legend. Alas, his closing birdie had him one shot short of making it to the weekend.
Major Monty
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Colin Montgomerie made the cut, but only finished T-39 to extend his drought in majors that never ended. In fact, despite winning the European Tour Order of Merit seven years in a row (1993-1999), he never won on U.S. soil before joining the PGA Tour Champions. We show him because at the time, Monty was a big deal. He entered the week at No. 4 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
Style in 2000
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Woods and everyone else wore much (much) baggier clothes back then. It also appears that Nike's "Dri-Fit" technology has come a long way since 2000. Then again, it was August in Kentucky.
Technology in 2000
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Look, there's Lee Janzen talking on a cell phone! Wait, they had cell phones back in 2000? That's cool, but I bet he couldn't take a selfie and then tweet it with that thing. Rough.
Controversy avoided!
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Hold everything. Tiger took a drop in the second round of a major championship?! Did he do it right? Maybe that's what Janzen was calling about …
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Tiger was still human
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Contrary to popular belief, Tiger Woods didn't hit every shot perfectly in 2000. Nor did Tiger Woods make every putt that year. However, his Friday 67 was good enough to take the 36-hole lead in his pursuit of a third consecutive major.
An ageless wonder emerges
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Tom Watson was already making noise as a senior golfer in 2000. Then 50, Watson matched a Valhalla competitive course record with a Saturday 65. Of course, nine years later, he'd nearly win the 2009 Open Championship—a playoff loss that still makes most golf fans sad to this day.
Going low at Valhalla
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Watson was topped later that day by José Maria Olazabal's 63. Yeah, you can go low at Valhalla (as we were reminded of again in 2024). But there wasn't a lot of noise being made by other big names. The top five on the leader board after Woods through 54 holes were Dunlap, Bob May, J.P. Hayes and Greg Chalmers. Not exactly a who's who of golf. Although fans were about to get to know May a lot better …
Where did Bob May come from?
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OK, time to focus on May (left) and Woods. Why? Because nobody else wound up mattering in the final round. A second-straight 66 earned the journeyman a spot in the final pairing with Woods on Sunday. May was fortunate to even have a spot in the tournament. Ranked No. 48 in the OWGR, he was given a special exemption by the PGA of America. Most people thought May would be an afterthought by Sunday evening, but he just wouldn't go away.
An unexpected duel
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No, Bob May really wouldn't go away. Trailing by one entering the final round, May caught Woods by the turn, setting up one of the all-time back-nine battles in golf history. We've mentioned Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, but this became a more modern—and certainly more surprising—Duel In The Sun.
Sunday Red(?)
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Tiger was stretching his final-round tradition with this shirt.
Is this really happening?!
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Both Woods and May shot 31 (five under) on the back nine. 31! On the back nine at a major on a Sunday! Still tied on No. 18, May rolled in a double-breaker from about 20 feet for birdie. Never a winner on the PGA Tour before or after, May now had one hand on the Wanamaker Trophy …
No, Tiger is happening
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But Woods responded with a clutch birdie putt of his own from seven feet. OK, so he didn't used to make every putt, but it sure seemed like it. Woods and May finished at 18 under par, the lowest 72-hole score in any major at the time and five shots ahead of Thomas Bjorn in third place.
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It was a shame either had to lose, but that's sports. So they went to extra holes.
The Playoff
This was the first three-hole aggregate playoff in PGA Championship history and on the first extra hole, Valhalla's 16th, May finally looked like he might crumble. But after two shaky shots, he hit a pitch shot from an awful lie about 50 yards away to within a couple inches of the hole to set up a remarkable par. You probably don't remember that brilliant shot because of what happened next …
Tiger being Tiger
This 25-foot birdie putt and memorable celebration gave Woods a one-shot lead. Again, Woods' putting. Wow. Do yourself a favor and rewatch this thrilling sequence.
That run-and-point celebration? Iconic.
Not so fast …
But things wouldn't go as smoothly playing No. 18 for a second time. Still holding a one-shot lead, Woods hooked a 3-wood way left that seemed to disappear among the trees and high grass for a few seconds before bouncing out into the rough.
It's a curious moment that has been talked about by conspiracy theorists around the country.
The legend grows
However, Tiger recovered after that, um, good break to make par thanks to a great fourth shot from a greenside bunker. When May's last gasp birdie putt from 30 feet and over a huge ridge curled just below the hole, Woods had won his fifth major championship and a third straight.
JEFF KOWALSKY
Of course, he'd go on to win the 2001 Masters to cap the Tiger Slam.