Woods at the Masters.

Woods at the Masters. The following report is from an April 1997 article in the Encarta Yearbook. . Tiger Woods Makes History at the Masters In one of the most phenomenal performances in the history of golf, 21-year-old Tiger Woods blew away a field of the best golfers in the world to win the 1997 Masters tournament on April 13, 1997, in Augusta, Georgia. Not only did Woods become the youngest champion in the 61-year history of the Masters, but he did it by the biggest margin in tournament history and with a record-low score of 270. There was one other factor that made the young golfer's achievements all the more memorable. Eldrick "Tiger" Woods, whose father is black and whose mother is Thai, became the first African American and Asian American player to win the Masters or any of the other three major tournaments in golf--the British Open, the United States Open, and the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA) Championship. The fact that Woods broke through at the only major tournament played each year at the same exclusive private club, Augusta National, added to the social significance of the victory. His victory may usher in a new era for the sport, which has always carried a reputation as a bastion of white players. The charismatic and emotional Woods, known for his fist-pumping after a good shot, is expected to help golf appeal to more young people of all races and ethnicities. After a slow start on the front nine holes in the first round, Woods came back on the back nine with a blistering six-under-par 30 at the famed Augusta National course, which is known for its difficulty. He then shot a combined 16 strokes under par over the final three rounds, taking the lead for good with a second-round 66 and then posting scores of 65 and 69 to run away with the title. The only drama during the final round was which records would fall--Woods's 18-under-par score narrowly gave him the course record at 270, one shot better than the previous mark set by Jack Nicklaus in 1965 and Raymond Floyd in 1976. The 12-stroke lead Woods held over second-place finisher Tom Kite was the biggest winning margin in a major tournament in more than 125 years. Last year's winner, three-time champion Nick Faldo, failed to make the second-round cut. The landmark victory ushered in what many feel will be the Tiger Woods Era in the sport. A golf prodigy from the age of three, Woods has rewritten the record books at every level, including an unprecedented three straight United States Amateur championships. But after winning the 1996 U.S. Amateur, Woods decided to skip his final two years of college and go on the PGA tour. In a sport that often takes players years to achieve success at the top level, Woods has quickly conquered the learning curve. He won three of his first eight tournaments in late 1996 and early 1997. This performance made him one of the early favorites in the Masters, a tradition-laden tournament that did not have a black player compete until 1975, the year Woods was born. But other experts felt that Augusta National was too tough, and that despite two amateur appearances at the Masters Woods lacked the necessary experience. Instead, he became the first player in more than 20 years to win in his first professional attempt at a major tourney, since Jerry Pate won the U.S. Open in 1976. Woods, who signed endorsement deals worth an estimated $60 million when he turned pro, won $486,000 with his Masters title to push his 1997 tournament earnings to nearly $1 million. After his stunning Masters showing, speculation immediately began about whether Woods could win a golfing grand slam by capturing all four major tournaments in one year. The feat has never been accomplished in professional golf. The crushing drives of more than 300 yards that Woods used to humble Augusta National reminded many observers of golf legend Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus dominated his sport in the 1960s and 1970s, winning 70 PGA titles and 20 major tournaments during his career. In 1963 Nicklaus set a record as the youngest player to win the Masters when he triumphed at 23 years 2 months. Spaniard Severiano Ballesteros was just four days past his 23rd birthday when he broke that mark in 1980, but most expect Woods's record age of 21 years 3 months to last much longer. Nicklaus won his second Masters title in 1965, a nine-shot win which was the largest margin of victory at the Masters until Woods obliterated the record book. Nicklaus also holds the all-time Masters record with six green jackets (the traditional award given to the Masters champion). The 57-year-old Nicklaus, who finished 29 strokes behind Woods at the 1997 tournament but set a record for most career Masters rounds with 147, noted that the coming of Woods puts his career Masters marks in jeopardy too. Even before the tournament, Nicklaus remarked that Woods had the potential to win ten Masters titles during his career. Source: Encarta Yearbook, April 1997. Microsoft ® Encarta ® 2009. © 1993-2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.