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Change my mind: The summer of ’06 was Tiger’s best ever
The 2006 season was a tale of severe ups and downs for Tiger Woods. It started as a lot of seasons do for him, with a win at Torrey Pines and another at Doral. All things as we would expect from TW in the first run of the season.
Then, life happened in a brutal way that would affect all of us severely: on May 3, 2006, his father passed away. Earl Woods was not only Tiger’s dad but his best friend, most trusted confidant, and Tiger’s security blanket. The passing itself was not a sudden shock per se but regardless it was a hit to the heart and soul of a young man who was on the verge of becoming a father himself.
Leading up to his passing, Tiger had top 25s at Bay Hill and The Players and a T3 at Augusta. Not bad by any measure, but in comparison to the rest of his year, a downtick. Looking back it’s to be expected, and by normal human measures, his play was pretty solid.
In the aftermath of Earl’s passing, Tiger had his first missed cut in a major at the U.S. Open. Not shocking at all, considering how tough the course played and the long layoff leading in for TW. It would be like not swinging a bat for two months and your first at-bat is against Randy Johnson. I don’t care who you are, but the odds are stacked against you in a major way.
It’s at this point that Tiger started a run that I believe was the greatest of his career, maybe even in history.
The Cialis Western Open was his first tournament back, roughly a month after his missed cut at the U.S. Open. It was simply a warmup for TW with a T2 and some signs that his ball-striking was rounding into form.
It was at the 2006 Open Championship that every part of Tiger’s game rounded into form. Some say his performance at Royal Liverpool was his best ball-striking performance ever.
This is what his coach at the time Hank Haney had to say:
“Many consider that the best ball-striking tournament of Tiger’s career but given the fact that he didn’t hit woods I probably wouldn’t go that far but he was nearly flawless with the irons, he hit all the shots, high and low, left to right and right to left.”
The win at The Open that year was monumental even beyond the ball striking. The moment the final putt dropped for a five-stroke victory Tiger Woods, the man who had been a stoic brick house since day one, broke down in tears. Exhausted physically and emotionally, Woods melted into caddie Steve Willams’ shoulder and let it all go. It was a beautiful moment.
The five tournaments after the open were a display of play that I think will go unmatched…ever.
Just look at the results: These are consecutive starts mind you. Keep in mind that winning any tournament is exhausting, two in a row, Herculean…What is six in a row? Not of this planet. And four of them were against the best fields in the world.
If you do the math, he was a combined 109 under par for a tournament average of 18 under. Also, keep in mind that this run included two majors and two WGC championships. Just one of those wins designates a great year. Tiger had four in the span of six weeks.
His final tallies were
Staggering performance, given the fact that he missed a good portion of the year dealing with the death of his father, which changes people in so many ways.
I’ll get pushback on this, especially from those who say the 2000 run was the pinnacle, but I disagree.
But of course, I’m a reasonable man. So I say: Bring it on. Change my mind.
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 RBC Heritage
GolfWRX is on site this week at Harbour Town Golf Links on Hilton Head Island for the RBC Heritage. Plenty of golfers who competed in the Masters last week will be making the quick turnaround in the Lowcountry of South Carolina as the Heritage is again one of the Tour’s Signature Events.
We have general albums for you to check out, as well as plenty of WITBs — including Justin Thomas and Justin Rose.
We’ll continue to update as more photos flow in from SC.
Check out links to all our photos, below.
General Albums
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Monday #2
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #1
- 2024 RBC Heritage – Tuesday #2
WITB Albums
- Justin Thomas – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Rose – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Chandler Phillips – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Nick Dunlap – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Thomas Detry – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Austin Eckroat – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Jason Day – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Will Zalatoris – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Patrick Cantlay – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Ludvig Aberg – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Collin Morikawa – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Sam Burns – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Stephen Jaeger – WITB – 2024 RBC Heritage
Pullout Albums
- Wyndham Clark’s Odyssey putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- JT’s new Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Justin Thomas testing new Titleist 2 wood – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey putter with triple track alignment aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Scotty Cameron The Blk Box putting alignment aid/training aid – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Cameron putter – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Odyssey Ai One Eleven T putters – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Christian Bezuidenhout – testing new Callaway Ti 340 mini driver – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Rory McIlroy testing the new TaylorMade BRNR Mini Driver Copper – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Xander Schauffele testing the Callaway Ti 340 mini driver & the DUW – 2024 RBC Heritage
- Byeong Hun An, two new L.A.B. Golf putter builds with “T” alignment – 2024 RBC Heritage
See what GolfWRXers are saying and join the discussion in the forums.
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Phil the groundhog
Mar 25, 2020 at 1:48 pm
2008!
only 6 starts; 4 wins; US open won; 2nd in the Masters; won WGC matchplay. worst place: 5th.
DJ
Mar 25, 2020 at 10:52 am
2000 was better – 3 majors (winning by 15 at Pebble and by 8 at St. Andrews – 2 iconic spots to get your first US & British Opens). Wins 3 in a row with the PGA Championship and the WGC-NEC (back to back weeks), and the Canadian Open. He won at Pebble again in the AT&T, wins at Arnie’s and Jack’s with Bay Hill and The Memorial. 17 top 10’s in 20 starts with 9 of them being wins.
Nick
Mar 25, 2020 at 9:48 am
Upon reviewing this I would say 2006 was better than 2000 because everyone was playing the same equipment. Remember in 2000 he was one of the few playing a solid-core golf ball. In 2006, everyone was playing a solid-core golf ball, so no one had a huge advantage.
Jarhead
Mar 24, 2020 at 11:39 pm
I remember thinking it was amazing just coming back to win once after losing is father. That is a hard thing to get over.
Alex
Mar 24, 2020 at 9:16 pm
2000 and not even close. Pebble, St Andrews; Valhalla, 5th at Augusta, 2 in a row after pga, scoring records, scorched earth the field twice at 2 iconic venues, only guy to break par at pebble and wins by 15? Unequivocally better than anyone at anytime that’s ever played game. Nicklaus and Jones didn’t just absolutely embarrass the rest of the sport like that.
Benny
Mar 24, 2020 at 6:52 pm
This is awesome and also never knew it went down like this. Love reading about it and thinking back. Any chance we can see a WITB?
Thanks GolfWrx
Larry Long
Mar 24, 2020 at 6:52 pm
How was Phil’s 2006 scoring? He won 2005 PGA, the Bell South by 13 strokes, theMasters, 2nd at US Open. If 2006 was Tiger’s best ever, Phil was right there and beat him in many big events.
Russ
Mar 25, 2020 at 3:27 am
Stop it, Phil has had a nice career but his resume doesn’t stack up at all. Nice try though!
Rory
Mar 25, 2020 at 9:40 am
Article is not debating best career – its debating best stretch over a limited run.
Sonny
Mar 25, 2020 at 4:17 pm
@Rory best stretch and you bring are bringing Phils name into the equation? He has never won 2 events in a row never mind 2 majors Lol….And you are comparing that to 6 wins a a row which include 2 majors. Geez have a word!
Daniel Sanders
Mar 25, 2020 at 5:14 pm
Sonny you’re stepping on your toes, the 05 PGA and 06 Masters were two majors in a row. US Open he should have won would have been 3 in a row. Bellsouth and Masters were two in a . Phil hits 3 iron off tee and wins ‘06 US Open and we don’t talk about Tiger’s 2006.
Pelling
Mar 25, 2020 at 9:34 am
Phil’s 2006 was great until the 72nd hole at Winged Foot! Hahaha.
moses
Mar 24, 2020 at 4:34 pm
Wow. Never saw it from that perspective before. Winning 6 in a row that includes 2 majors plus 2WGCs is astounding.
Sonny
Mar 24, 2020 at 4:28 pm
Could you do 2008 season as the best start of the year:?