5 Underrated Moments from the last 20 Years in Golf

If you think of the greatest moments in professional golf, which of them springs to mind? Tiger Woods emotional Masters win in 2019? Or even his 1997 win that started the ball rolling on an era of dominance. Or that putt at the Players’ Championship in 2001? Alright, there’s been more than a few Tiger moments, but the 15-time Major winner obviously looms large over golf in the 21^st century.

While Tiger’s big moments appear in plenty of highlight reels, we wouldn’t to revisit some underrated moments from the last 20 years – stuff that is often overlooked. And we are going to start with one of the most clutch aces you will ever witness:

Byrd lands the 2010 Shriners in Style

Johnathan Byrd has enjoyed a fine, if not spectacular, golf career. He’s probably not lived up to all the hype that saw him named PGA Rookie of the Year in 2002, but he’s a solid professional with more PGA Tour wins (5) than most players will get in a career. But if you’re going to have a career highlight, how about hitting one of the longest holes in one in history to secure a tournament win in sudden death? That’s what Byrd did to the amazement of the crowd in Las Vegas. It was remarkable stuff.

Sergio Garcia hits one-handed from a tree at Bay Hill

Golf can be the strangest of sports: Where else would you see a man climb a tree, spend several minutes searching for good footing, then play a one-handed backward shot onto the fairway? That’s what happened at Bay Hill at the 2013 Arnold Palmer, with Sergio Garcia said man climbing said tree. Now, it takes the shine off a bit when you learn that Garcia could only make double-bogey and later withdrew from the tournament. But for an instant, it was an example of all the quirkiness of golf in all its glory.

David Toms does a reverse Tin Cup in 2001

Is laying up boring? It’s maybe not the most crowd-pleasing tactic, and players tend to be a bit more aggressive these days regardless. But back at the 2001 PGA Championship, David Toms did one of the most boring lay-ups you’ll ever see, knowing that an up and down would secure his par. Of course, that par would also secure his first Major. Toms may have played it safe, but he knew exactly what he was doing. But it also acted as a good lesson for budding golfers: you don’t need to aim to birdie every hole to be a winner.

Tom Watson nearly wins The Open

Phil Mickelson holds the record for oldest Major winner after clinching the PGA Championship a month before his 51^st birthday in June. That was, of course, will be well remembered, but something even more miraculous almost happened at Turnberry in 2009. At 59, Tom Watson shocked everyone by finishing tied for the lead with Stewart Cink, forcing a playoff where the latter ultimately triumphed. The atmosphere was electric during Watson’s final round, where he was attempting to win the Claret Jug at Turnberry – just like he did all the way back in 1977.

Tiger’s 80^th Win

We joked about Tiger Woods hogging all the headlines earlier, so it’s only right that we end with the great man. Sure, the Masters victory of 2019 felt like his big comeback, but it was a victory seven months earlier at the Tour Championship (his first win in five and a half years) that made people believe again. The celebrations at the East Lake Golf Club were just as wild as they would be in Augusta the next April. Tiger was back.

5 Underrated Moments from the last 20 Years in Golf to SEC Golf

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