INTRODUCING TIGER TUESDAYS / Which Tiger Woods major win is the most underrated (and why)?

[GolfWRX]

GolfWRXers, we’re proud to introduce something we think is, frankly (no headcover-related pun intended), long overdue: Tiger Tuesdays.

The 15-time major champion and his equipment have been uniquely interesting to GolfWRX members since our early, forum-only, days. Now, we don’t delude ourselves into thinking the percentage of hardcore TW fans is higher than elsewhere in the golf mediasphere. However, we do believe, with regard to Tiger Woods, the milestones and miscellany of his career—and certainly, his equipment—our serious Woodsian scholars are the best informed in the business.

It’s with this in mind we’re adding Tiger Tuesdays to our weekly content mix. And while the specific pieces you’ll see on the front page will have a multiplicity of forms greater than a tiger’s stripes, and important element will always be GolfWRXer input.

To that end, we’ll be running plenty of polls and surveys in the forums, of which this is one (obviously).So, GolfWRXers, which Tiger Woods major win is the most underrated (and why)?

[QuigleyDU]

His 3rd amateur title. In comparison to everything else. It seems this gets lost. He was way down, and battled back to win. Another thing he really did not do all to often. Come from behind to win.

[digger91]

I would say the 01 Masters. I know it’s a part of the Tiger Slam, but the fact that he needed to win that to complete it is crazy to think about. You’ve got to assume the pressure he felt to get the W was huge and that makes this one even bigger in my eyes.

[MelloYello]

I think his 5th major might qualify. That is the 2000 PGA Championship, which was the 3rd leg of the Tiger Slam.

 

When it comes to the Tiger Slam, people talk a lot about the other 3 titles which include his 15-shot victory at Pebble in the US Open, the 8-stroke victory at St. Andrews and the incredible 2001 Masters where he closed it out.

 

But in order for that Tiger Slam to exist, he had to take down someone with a hot hand who was seemingly destined to win that 2000 PGA. Tiger won in a Play-off after shooting 18-under including 66-67 to start and a 67 on Sunday, defeating runner-up Bob May. Both TW and Bob May finished at -18 while 3rd place was only at -13.

 

If somehow Tiger didn't pull that out, the whole Slam never would've happened and quite frankly, a lot of the myth surrounding TW being the greatest ever probably wouldn't be as big as it is. And again, when was the last time you heard someone talking about the 2000 PGA?

 

There are a few other wins that don't get so much hype (mostly from the late-Haney era) but most of Tigers significant wins are talked about for one reason or another: the various Masters titles, the historic US Open at Pebble, the 2 wins at St. Andrews, the 2-iron adventure at Hoylake, the battle with Sergio at Medinah in '99, the amazing Play-off win over Rocco at the '08 US Open, etc.

[ElMosquito]

Another vote for the 2000 PGA Championship. The third part of the Tiger Slam and the closest he came to not winning one of the four. Birdied both 17 and 18 to get into a playoff as well as playing his last 12 holes on Sunday seven-under par. Phenomenal. 

[NRJyzr]

I know it's gotten a lot of hype, but I feel the 2008 US Open win is still underrated. Blown ACL, two fractures in the tibia... I've had my own knee troubles, which were a whole lot tamer than Tiger's, and he wins a major with it?

I can't even imagine what it would feel like to swing a club in that state, much less play anywhere near my best.

 

[cugolf14]

It gets a lot of hype, but the 2000 US Open is still underrated based on what TW did there. Still amazing to look back at that and see how dominant he was.

[Keen2bDumb]

His Open Championship at Hoylake. Irons off every tee, discipline, losing his Father, and keeping his mind together to do that was wonderful. His most overrated, on another note, imo was his win at Augusta in 1997. Field was very weak, he shot 40 on the front 9 round 1, and he had no significant discipline overall, and wasn't truly up to standard.

His famous majors are the US Open in 2000 and 2008, 1997, 2005 and 2015 Masters, Open Championship in 2000, and his PGA's in 1999 and 2000. I'd love to hear about Bethpage and Hoylake more often, different circumstances, and solid golf.

[Nard_S]

2019 Masters. The cards were (and remain) stacked against it, yet he won against a deep field that is younger & healthier. Pretty amazing grind from 2018 Hero to 2019 Augusta.