Opinion & Analysis
Change my mind: This was the most important shot of Tiger Woods’ career
Let’s “what if” the hell outta this one and go back 23 years to 1997.
Tiger Woods is well into his first major as a professional and with all the hype and intimidation he brought, he is 4 over after nine holes. Worse yet, he had a two-way miss going, the putter is cold, and the world is shifting beneath his feet.
So, now we stand on the 10th tee. Augusta National’s daunting downhill par 4 that requires a precise tee shot that gets the player down the hill and even more with a reasonable number into a large and punishing green. Point is, 5 over is looking right back at you if you don’t hit at least two quality shots.
According to Tiger, it was the swing he made on the 10th tee that “flipped the switch.” A 2-iron draw that he had been fighting all week in practice. A shot that if he could hit, it signaled that his swing was in a good place and he was ultimately in go zone.
I’m not sure what he told himself prior, but the tee shot was absolutely striped. A mid-trajectory hard hook that chased all the way to the flat of the 10th fairway. That tee shot led to a 15-20 footer that he buried for his first birdie of the day, his first birdie in a major as a professional—and first of 21 for the week along with two eagles.
Woods’ 1997 Masters bag.
We all know what happened from there—the biggest 12-stroke smackdown in sports history.
So my question is this, what if he blows that tee shot wide right into the trees? Hooks it left? What happens to all of this? Is that tee shot “the moment” that started all of this? Was it that tee shot that enabled one player to consume 75 percent of my brain—even to this day?
In simple terms, I believe if he doesn’t hit that specific tee shot at that specific moment, this whole thing could have looked a lot different. The counter-argument would be it’s one shot and TW would have still gone on to do everything he did. I think we all have a few moments in life that if we rise to meet them, we get blasted into hyperspace, if we falter, the abyss awaits.
Was that one of those moments for Tiger?
I think so. Change my mind.
Comment below.
Editor’s note: The first-round coverage of the 1997 Masters picks up with Woods’ second shot from the 10th fairway, so while you can’t see the shot Wunder is discussing on the telecast, you can see the approach and ensuing shots in the video below.
This past Monday, I played in the U.S. Amateur local qualifier at Rock Creek Country Club in Portland, Oregon. A full tee sheet from 7:30 a.m. to 1:55 p.m., the top 11 scores would make it to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying.
I teed off at 10:48 a.m.. With the 7:30 am tee time, you can get a feel for the leaders’ pace, and they were off and running on the challenging setup at Rock Creek.
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Getting to the highlight of the round on the par five 17th, a drive up the left side and 212 yards left to the front hole location. I took out a 5-iron with plans of middle of the green. The ball ended up 8 feet left of the hole, pin high. A slight downhill putt dropped in for an eagle 3 on the 17th. With the cut line looking to be anywhere from -2 to even par. This was the boost I had been waiting for all day.
With making par from the trees on 18, it was time to wait for a potential playoff with a posted score of one under par 71.
Three hours later, it was playoff time. 8 players for 6 spots. I made par on the playoff hole, which was good enough to advance to the U.S. Amateur final qualifying in July. USGA qualifiers sure deliver on all of the emotions in golf!
Club Junkie
Building my 2026 gamer WITB: Ranking the contenders and new putter projects – Club Junkie Podcast
The annual What’s In The Bag build is underway, and on this episode of Club Junkie, Brian breaks down the clubs currently leading the race for a spot in his 2026 gamer setup. From drivers and fairway woods to irons, wedges, and shafts, he ranks the equipment that’s performing best and explains what’s separating the front runners from the rest of the field.
Brian also heads into the workshop to discuss several putter projects currently on the bench. From head options and shaft choices to build ideas and testing plans, he shares what he’s working on and which putters could become serious contenders for the bag this season.
If you’re a gear junkie who loves equipment testing, club building, and the never-ending pursuit of the perfect setup, this episode is for you.
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I also dive into the new TaylorMade Spider ZT Max putter that was recently spotted and discuss the growing zero torque putter trend. Plus, there is a closer look at the new Project X Titan Yellow shaft showing up on the PGA Tour and what makes it different from other profiles currently out there.
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Bernard Gross
Apr 13, 2020 at 11:05 am
The one thing I do remember, and I have not heard anybody talk about it is, the night before the 1997 Masters started I was watching the Golf Channel. I don’t remember who was on the show, other than the guest was Paul Stankowski, and they were discussing who might win The Masters that year. When Tiger’s name came up they ALL were in agreement that he didn’t stand a chance to win. I never forgot that. Experts indeed, they don’t know a damn thing.
Cody Reeder
Apr 13, 2020 at 9:02 am
I think Tiger can thank Mark O’meara for the turn around. little convo between 9s in round one and it was a run away from there.
You suck
Apr 13, 2020 at 7:43 am
That half top worm burner 3 wood at chambers bay was pretty sweet. Change my mind
bb
Apr 13, 2020 at 5:45 am
numbing how hurting we are for golf information that an article like this is front and center…..what if he missed the putt would that have made that shot the most important since it saved him from going 5 over…..see how the argument goes ?
PG
Apr 12, 2020 at 10:28 pm
Change my mind. Starting an opinion with “change my mind” is lazy and derivative.
DG
Apr 12, 2020 at 10:39 pm
This site is getting desperate.
Roy
Apr 12, 2020 at 3:04 pm
Right tournament – wrong shot. He chip on at 12 Bogey there destroys all the momentum you spoke of.
Bernard Gross
Apr 13, 2020 at 11:07 am
agree, when I first saw the article I was thinking about that shot in particular.
Cory
Apr 12, 2020 at 1:25 pm
GolfWRX, stop giving John Wunder’s idiotic articles space, they belong on MGS. I’ve read a handful, trying to give him the benefit of the doubt, thinking to myself “ok, this one can’t be nearly as bad as the last one” and I’m wrong EVERY. F&*#ing. TIME.
Jeff Kinney
Apr 11, 2020 at 8:35 pm
Y.E. Yang’s hybrid into 18 at the 2009 PGA Championship that beat Tiger Woods in a major for the first time when he was leading. Unconscionable before or after. Derailed his quest to beat Jack’s record for major victories.
Tiderider
Apr 11, 2020 at 12:48 pm
No. No such shot exists for Tiger. He had the mindset. He’d already hit plenty of great shots winning 6 straight USGA titles.
matt
Apr 11, 2020 at 11:18 am
I thought of 6 at Pebble, but that felt like a wrap at that point. 10 at Augusta in 97 makes sense… though are we really pretending the kid who won 3 straight US Ams by the age of 20 wasn’t going to win his first major sometime soon.
Two 72nd hole putts come to mind… both tell you everything about Tiger Woods you need to know. Both must makes – Valhalla and Torrey. Either don’t go in and he’s that much further away from Jack’s major total and that all important title: GOAT.. But they went in, would we have expected anything different?
Andrew
Apr 11, 2020 at 11:04 am
12th hole last years masters. Best shot of his career. That shot placement on that green while everyone else faltered was when he won that tournament. Just my opinion
Steve Samson
Apr 11, 2020 at 9:37 am
No way, don’t remember that Masters shot at all. The 7 iron at Pebble Beach in 2000 on 6th hole. Hit it on the green from 180 out, all while sitting in 1 ft. rough.
This shot put the PGA tour and world on notice for the next 10 years, “this is just not a fair fight.” Great call Rodger Maltbie.
Banks
Apr 11, 2020 at 12:22 pm
I remember that shot like it was yesterday. I used to be able to beat the brakes off the ball back in that day and i remember seeing that shot thinking to myself “what did i just see? thats an impossible shot and he just made It look easy”.
The part that impressed me was not only the rough knee deep on Shaq but the green was uphill about about a 1/4 mile from where he was.
billyg
Apr 10, 2020 at 8:16 pm
Those swing thoughts that click and make things happen do happen. Tiger had this happen when working with Butch. I remember reading about a shot that Tom Watson hit from a sidehill lie that clicked for him when working with Byron Nelson. Watson went on to dominate for a while after figuring out what worked.