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A20 SPORTS
Wednesday 5 april 2017
‘97 Masters: When a young Tiger grabbed golf by the tail

JIM LITKE over Woods’ shoulders at Florida to California, North-
AP Sports Writer the trophy ceremony, it ern Ireland to South Africa,
AUGUSTA, Ga. (AP) — His marked almost 50 years to Australia, Argentina and
Masters win 20 years ago the day that Jackie Robin- a thousand points in be-
would have marked the son broke baseball’s color tween. A serious few stayed
apex of just about every barrier. The Spartan white with it, following his blue-
other golfer’s career. It’s Augusta clubhouse in the print, emulating his fitness
worth remembering now background was a subtle and adopting his survival-
that Tiger Woods was just reminder that on matters of-the-fittest approach to
getting started. of race, golf had been every competition. Those
He’s vowed to attend the dragging its cleats. are the ones who walk non-
Champions Dinner, but the But gifted an athlete chalantly past Woods and
four-time Masters champi- like Woods, a blend of tal- his tee shots nowadays on
on announced Friday night ent and charisma whose the way to their own. They
that he won’t play this appeal stretched from constitute the deepest
year because of an ailing lush suburban courses to pool of talent the game
back. His latest attempt raggedy inner-city driving has ever seen. But in 1997,
to jump-start a career de- ranges, the game hopped they were just fans.
railed by chronic injuries aboard. “I was 9 and just getting
ended miserably in Febru- “I was there waiting for the into golf,” Australian Ja-
ary, when Woods walked finish. It was a foregone son Day, the No. 3-ranked
off the course at the Dubai conclusion,” former PGA player in the world, re-
Desert Classic with back Tour commissioner Tim called recently. “My dad
spasms. Finchem recalled. “From had this turn-knob TV with
“I’m trying everything to then on it was only a ques- bunny ears. You had to
be able to get back and tion of details. move the antenna to get
play,” he said last week. “I “How many does he win? the right picture and it was
love that event. It’s meant Does he challenge the big, really early in the morning.
so much to me in my life. long-term records?” he I remember him walking up
It has so much history and said. “If he stays like this, the 18th and he obliterat-
meaning to me, I’d love to and plays like this, and stays ed the field.
get back.” healthy and challenges “I started playing more
One thing that the big records — which golf than I usually did,” he
hasn’t changed: In this April 13, 1997, file photo, Tiger Woods celebrates a Mas- takes decades — that’s added. “And then I read
ters win at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Ga.
When Woods plays, every- Associated Press going to be an awesome a book about him when I
one pays attention. These impact on the game.” was 14. So, they’re the two
days, it might amount to no up.” you’d ever seen. Twenty Woods was even better moments that really kind of
more than a casual check Woods stayed up late that records fell over the four than advertised. As he changed my life.”
of where he’s placed in night talking with his father, days — youngest Masters took off, prize money and Instead of being inspired,
the field. Earl, about how to rip it up champion, lowest score, TV ratings soared. Galleries the old guard playing
But in 1997, you couldn’t some more. biggest margin of victory, swelled and occasionally alongside Woods at that
take your eyes off him. Earl had turned over con- etc. — yet that only hinted got rowdy. Some old-tim- Masters was terrified.
Woods shot 40 on his open- trol of Tiger’s swing to more at Woods’ readiness for the ers blanched, but golf sud- “It threw me into a tailspin
ing nine in his first major capable teachers long grand stage. denly seemed a lot cooler. seeing how much talent a
championship as a pro ago. But because military When Nick Faldo, the pre- Taking their cues guy like that had. It affect-
and still won by 12 strokes. habits die hard, the ex- vious year’s champion, from Woods, kids wan- ed me,” said Steve Strick-
He averaged 25 yards lon- Green Beret reserved the draped the green jacket dered onto courses from er, who has partnered
ger off the tee than the job of toughening up the with Woods in U.S. team
next closest player, blow- kid for himself. events for years. “I don’t
ing by bunkers and firing When Tiger was starting have any problem say-
darts into the roly-poly out, he’d jangle the coins ing it now. But it took me a
greens with shorter irons in his pocket in the middle while to get out of the funk,
and from angles no one of a backswing. As he got thinking, ‘I can’t do what
else had even considered. older, Earl progressed — di- he’s doing.’”
He made everything inside gressed, really — to drop- At that moment,
8 feet. ping clubs, hopping up though, Woods wasn’t wor-
The powers-that-be at Au- and down, yelling, cussing, ried about usurpers, young
gusta National wouldn’t even using the occasional or old, and the horizon
get around to “Tiger-proof- N-word. None of it dented wasn’t the only thing that
ing” the place for three his son’s suit of armor. appeared limitless. Just 21,
more years. But there was Sometime past midnight, he looked like he could go
already a whiff of panic in Earl checked off the last on winning forever.
the air. box on his list. Woods did for the next
“Obviously the Masters “Just get in your own little dozen years, everything
Committee has to be a world,” he said, “and go and everywhere but espe-
little concerned,” veteran out there and just thrash cially at the biggest events,
pro Tom Kite weighed in ‘em.” putting himself well ahead
after Saturday’s third round Tiger did. of pace to rip the most re-
in 1997. “They’ve got a golf He was as thin as a 2-iron In this April 13,1997, file photo, Tiger Woods, 1997 Masters cham- vered record in golf — 18
course that’s pretty darn then, supple as Gumby, pion, receives his Green Jacket from the previous year’s winner career majors — from Jack
tough, and they’ve got and Woods controlled Nick Faldo, left, at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Nicklaus. Then life thrashed
Ga.
somebody just ripping it the golf ball like no one Associated Press him back.q