We often either celebrate Woods is now 11 for 11 when leading a major going into the final day, or lament the fact his peers can never stand toe to toe with him.
Is that fair? At Hoylake, Dimarco, Els and Garcia would have had to tie the course record or 65 to beat him, and 66 to get into a playoff.
Which got me thinking....just what would kind of round would have been required to catch him in the other 10 majors?
- 1997 Masters - If Costantino Rocca shoots 63 he still loses by 3
- 1999 PGA - Sergio shot 71 and lost by 1; the field had one 67 and two 69s that day
- 2000 US Open - Woods 67 was low round of the day as he won by 15 shots.
- 2000 Open - 63 by either Bjorn or Duval would have only meant a playoff; the best round by any player that week was a 66.
- 2000 PGA - All Bob May did was shoot a championship record (-18), 66 on the final day (Janzen had an early 65). Olazabol could have shot his 2nd consecutive 63 and sitll only joined the playoff.
- 2001 Masters - 4th lowest winning score in history would have been bettered only if Duval would have shot 64 or Mickelson 66.
- 2002 Masters - one player in the field shot in the 60s, but Goosen could have won with a 70 instead of a 74. No one else had a realistic chance.
- 2002 US Open - a mere 3 players broke par on Sunday. Phil needed to tie the low round of the week (67) just to get into a playoff.
- 2005 Masters - Dimarco got into a playoff by shooting 68, one of six rounds under 70, bettered by only one 67. He gave it his all.
- 2005 Open - Eleven players had a round in the 60s, low round was 67. Monty needed to tie the low round of the championship (66) to have beaten Woods
- 2006 Open - only a course record 65 would have surpassed Woods.
Remarkable. Very few instances where, in hindsight, there was even a glimmer of hope you could catch him.
To the PGA Tour pros - don't worry, it's not you, it's him.
July 28th, 2006, 10:45 AM
Linear Mode
Similar Threads
