The Masters: Ranking the 25 most exceptional performances at Augusta
By Bill Felber
8: Tiger Woods, 2002 Masters, 276 (-12), Std. Deviation -2.55
This was the era of Woods at his – and possibly the game’s — most dominant. In a nine-major stretch between the 2000 and 2002 U.S. Opens, Woods won six of them – four in succession — and did so by a combined 28 strokes.
Sensitive to the idea that Woods was in the process of making a mockery of their storied course, Augusta officials undertook the most extensive project in years, adding 285 yards to the course, enabling it to play at nearly 7,300 yards.
Not surprisingly, Woods entered as a prohibitive favorite, although his first round 70 left him three strokes behind Davis Love III. Love fell out of contention on Friday, but Vijay Singh shot 65 to move in front, one ahead of Retief Goosen. With a 69, Woods, meanwhile, lingered in a five-way tie for fourth, still four back.
On Saturday, though, Woods caught Goosen with a 66, both of them two ahead of Singh. Woods displayed a champions’ mettle on Sunday. While Goosen bogeyed the first and fourth holes, he birdied the second and third to grab a quick four-stroke lead. It was five by the turn and never moved until Goosen managed a meaningless birdie at 16 and Woods bogeyed 17.