There is no doubt that Tiger Woods won the 2000 PGA Championship at Valhalla.

But this time Woods failed miserably and the story from 24 years ago is still a big question mark


Tiger Woods won the 2000 PGA Championship and has the trophy to prove it
Tiger Woods won the 2000 PGA Championship and has the trophy to prove itCredit: AFP

Go back 24 years ago

Some believe that simple luck intervened in Woods’ advantage in a tense three-hole playoff with Bob May, who was unlikely to be the ultimate rival of a young golfer who was dominating the sports world. his.

Others insist that something unnatural happened, which could have included someone kicking Woods’ ball and helping him win the major.

Mystery (or conspiracy) regarding the third hole of the playoff.

Woods eventually won, beating May by one stroke, while also presenting his dramatic ‘Putt and Point’ celebration.

But without a lucky bounce out of nowhere, May could have hoisted the trophy that Woods claimed.

“Do you think someone either kicked it or threw it back in that direction?” announcer Jim Nantz said. “It didn’t react naturally, did it?”

“No, it didn’t at all,” announcer Ken Venturi replied.

Woods' tee shot went way off target and rolled through a rough area

Woods’ tee shot went way off target and rolled through a rough area

He faced a fierce battle for the win at Valhalla

He faced a fierce battle for the win at ValhallaCredit: AFP

This scene captures Tiger-mania in 2000 when Woods was at his peak

This scene captures Tiger-mania in 2000 when Woods was at his peakCredit: Getty
“I sure hope someone didn’t slap it back,” Nantz said.

“It could have been someone jumped up and hit it with their hand,” Venturi said.

The golf world might never know.

Since the wild shot and subsequent roll happened 24 years ago, cameras weren’t as precise and on-course TV angles weren’t as plentiful.

Golfers are regularly exposed by eagle-eyed fans in the current era.

In 2000, the two primary TV broadcasters could only wonder out loud — and social media didn’t exist to question, dissect and over-analyze everything.

“I think I saw something that shouldn’t have happened happen to that ball,” a fan on course in 2000 told Golf Digest.

Another fan saw something different.

Woods forced a playoff then enjoyed a lucky break at the perfect time

Woods forced a playoff then enjoyed a lucky break at the perfect timeCredit: AFP
“It honestly did take a heck of a roll [down the path],” the fan said. “If you want to say he got helped, it was where his drive finished. That’s usually high grass. But it was beaten down so he had a clean shot.

“Tiger winning was the natural outcome. Sometimes the golf gods have to intervene in ways we don’t know.”

Whatever happened, Woods won.

He edged May by one stroke in a three-hole playoff, eventually winning four consecutive majors for a Tiger Slam.

Woods’ lucky ball might have been fan- or course-aided.

What’s obvious more than two decades later is that he was on top of the golf world in 2020, and nothing was getting in Woods’ way.