Lets hear em

*I apologize in advance if this thread has already been talked about*

I know Woods is going to get alot of votes for his US Open performance.
My vote is for the play of the US squad in the sunday singles matches to win the Ryder Cup.

Runner-Up: Paddy Harrington winning back-to-back majors.

Winner: Tiger Woods versus Rocco Mediate in Monday playoff. Could it get any better than that?

Agreed with the tiger playoff. I enjoyed all of the ryder cup as well.

Gotta like Harrington's 5W approach on the 71st hole of the Open.

[Shades of Pavin's 4W approach to the 72nd hole of the US open so many years ago at Shinnicock (sp?)]

Also gotta like TW throwing down his hat after holing a monster putt on the 72nd hole at Arnie's place.

I loved the Ryder Cup and the Rocco/Tiger playoff was incredible, but the one that I'll remember will be Annika's hole out on the last hole of her US Open career. What a way to bow out gracefully.

BDLz

It has to be watching Tiger's 18th hole in his fourth round. I just remember thinking after each of his first two shots that he was done... And then that he just might pull it off after his third shot... To wow, this guy never disappoints after the fourth. The silence the announcers allowed while he was reading his putt just made it that much better... And then the commercial with his dad discussing his mental toughness came on during the commercial break right before the putt. I just thought it was incredible stuff. Call me unoriginal seeing that this will undoubtedly get a lot of votes, but I find it hard to argue against it.

Tiger's amazing performance at the match play stands out in my mind. Most notably the awesome comeback against JB Holmes.

+1
Norman rolling back the years deserves a mention too.
The Ryder Cup ? Even though we (europe) lost, it was enjoyable watching.

I only got to see highlights from that because I was at dinner during it. I was watching it while I was in the gym and didn't really care to finish watching because it seemed like the match was over. Then I started getting tons of texts from my buddies telling me Tiger was just going nuts with the putter. Definitely disappointed I missed that...

Calling in sick to work after Tiger made the putt on the 72nd hole.

Me finally getting an ace after 35 friggen years!

To me its gotta be tigers back 9 during the 3rd round of the us open. I mean he was 5 strokes back of the lead walking onto to 13th teebox. We all know its tiger woods, but its a five stroke deficit, a US open, and Tiger is limping around the coarse. Some of us start to wonder if this just might not be his to win. But Tiger never fails to amaze, 2 eagles and a birdie give him the lead going into the final round. If it wasent for the back nine, there is a good chance tiger wouldnt pull off argueably his best major win ever.

Tiger winning the U.S. Open on one leg, Paddy winning two majors bacl-to-back, and turning back the clock with Greg Norman.

For me it was when Tiger stopped playing. The networks actually had to show others golfers for a change!.. (no disrespect intended to Tiger, who I think is great) It's just that I don't need to see every single shot. I enjoy seeing alot of various golfers hit their shots too.

Tiger Woods' putt for birdie on the 72nd hole at Torrey Pines. Unbelievable pressure moment. His bollocks were on the line - not only was he playing against doctors' advisements, allegedly he had proclaimed to his inner circle that he was actually going to win this US Open.

Had he missed that putt, he would've blown a 54-hole major championship lead for the first time ever. Facing a long layoff, over which he would've had to endure tons of backlash and criticism for playing injured and possible for making up excuses, for blowing the lead, for making a mess of the 18th hole and finishing runner-up to a long-dismissed 40-something journeyman. It was probably the most clutch putt Tiger has ever made and that is saying a lot.

The reaction when the putt fell was different from any other Tiger freakout celebration. It was so much relief and catharsis and almost...gratitude, as if thanking the heavens above. It may well go down as his signature moment.

IRL: Shooting a personal low 77

TV: Watching Tiger win the US Open. Just amazing drama.

Favorite moment of 2008? So many to choose from. A good representation would be riding the Expedition Everest roller coaster at Disney World Animal Kingdom with my kids, age 10 and 5 at the time. It was my 5 year old daughter's first serious roller coaster ride; she was just tall enough to ride by one inch. What a blast!

Oh golf related....I did have this great par 5 not too long ago and I played like I was on TV. Blast down the middle far enough to be tempted with go for it in two range, blast 3 Wood with a perfect draw that hits the green like a laser and stops with a small hop to 2 feet, tap in eagle. Wow, if only every day was like that. That was a fun moment.

Who cares about best moments with guys on the PGA Tour? "Those guys are good"; they do that stuff all the time, and TW more than the rest of the tour put together.

Greg Norman's performance in the 3rd round of the Open Championship. I really anticipated he'd back up in that round but his performance teased us to believe he might actually be able to gain some atonement for all the past foibles. But alas, the 4th round was where he backed up - some things never change.

But for that Saturday, that was pretty cool to see a 53 yr. old be the class of the field!

personally, it was my wife and I on Sunday at Torrey watching Tiger sink the tying putt to push a playoff at the US Open. Brilliant - it still gives me goosebumps.

Watching my daughter qualify for state in golf.

The birth of my first grand daughter. First grand baby.

As for golfing moments...

The whole Ryder Cup Experience. Being there on Sunday was something I will never forget. That has to be #1.

Tiger sinking that put was pretty sweet too, we had about 20 guys watching it during a summer pool party, and when he made it we all went wild.

Tiger, Torrey Pines hands down..

My favorate moment in 2008 was, when I braked 80 for the first time on another course than home.

It was in late July and I was on a golf break with unknown people who arranged the trip to the other side of the country. I was hitting the ball quite well and there was a discussion on behaviour of one of the fellow players in our group.

I got really pissed off him stepping on putting lines on every green. I was to hold my temper, but when a lady started to hit her approach shot on #13 his phone rang and he started a loud conversation on house building with some friend of his.

My focus and targetting sharpened right after I brought the issue up with him as he opponed in a childish fashion. He claimed that no-one could have fun on the course if one is to be quiet while someone else is putting or preparing for a shot. Not to mention carefully reading the greens.

On the next tee the athmosphere went from loose to chilled and hostile, but it was just then that I decided to make him pay for what he just had said.

I think I've never, ever been so targeted, intensive and willing to score as well.

After that round I did not even break 90 for the rest of the year, but now I at least know that I can go low.

My fav for 2008 would have to be the US open and the performance of Rocco Mediate and how he pushed Tiger to the limit and then some

+1 !

I suspect TW enjoyed it too, even though, after Rocco's birdy on 15th hole on Monday, TW was probably feeling a type of anxiety on the course that TW has probably not experienced in a long time.

In other words, TW might have been sh** scared he was not gonna win it.

The Woods US Open victory was great. However, I feel a better story was Greg Norman playing his way back into many of our hearts during The Open Championship was incredible.

If he could have just pulled it off....

Easy for me it would have to be the Ryder Cup

For me it was Greg Norman, I forget which hole but in the 3rd round, there was about 30 of us at my work watching it on TV, all crowded round... he was just off the green and we said wouldnt it be great if he holed this... He goes ahead to chip in and we all started jumping up and down, shouting and hugging each other... Just shows how great a golfer he was and still is. Shows what a great sport golf is aswell socialy, dont have to be playing, watching the drama be it the young guns or the golden oldies, its allways fun!

I know this is 2009, but i have to say, the Dubai desert classic last week, the atmosphere behind the 18th green was electric. There was a massive tv screen on the back of the grandstand for the 18th then the practice putting green infront of the Clubhouse where every player and everyone else involved was... there had to be a thousend people all squeezed onto the balcony and underneath and alot of the players were standing on the putting green watching the TV... When Rory Mcilroy holed that putt, every single person jumped to their feet and were hugging and going crazy! Every single player had a smile on their faces and was the first victory where every player had stayed to congratulate the winner and i thought that was amazing... Justin Rose came out before Rory and as he walked across the putting green towards the clubhouse everyone standing there got on their feet and clapped and he did the same back, was a heros welcome... Then Mcilroy came out in a buggy and everyone was chanting, clapping... Darren Clarke ran over to him, was great to see... Sums up the players and the tour when Justin Rose said in an interview "im not even bothered about coming second, was just great to see Rory get his first win!"

Hopefully more moments like this in 2009!

Standing on the 18th at Birkdale as Norman walked past on the friday.

Bloody hell, I forgot about the kids...

Twin daughters in April and.... hang on.... no; watching Greg Norman at Birkdale still takes it when I think back.

Being in the stands at the US OPen on Saturday and Sunday.

Those final groups each day paid for the cost of the ticket.

I can't say enough about Rocco's effect of the crowd.
That chant of ROCCO, Rocco was just electric as he cam down the 18th fairway.
ROckstar status for a normal player is worth the moment in the sun.

Tiger v. Rocco.
Tiger v. J.B.
The Ryder Cup: Day 3

But my favourite moments were my own:

Runner-Up

On the last hole of matches with my then-girlfriend (but before we dated) and with a doctor friend, I was one down to both. Its a 580 yard par 5, downwind. I announced on the tee I felt I needed to make 3 to halve the matches. So I hit driver/2 iron to 5 feet. And the doctor holed a 60 footer for birdie. I made 3.

Grand Prize Winner

Tapping in for birdie on 18 for a 69, my first sub-70 round. Which met my one and only goal for 2008, to break 70.

going to my first tournament at torrey pines for us open 2nd day, the 3some of tiger phil and adam scott. i had goosebumps seeing them in person. what was even crazier that day was witnessing from 5 feet away a fight between adam scotts caddie and some drunk fan on the 9th i think?

J.B Holmes and Tigers battle in WGC Matchplay. That was something what I never forget.

Playing Chambers Bay.

I have been purposely avoiding this thread for a while for fear of comment after comment about the Ryder Cup, but despite the disappointment of supporting the losing side, I couldn't think of anyone better to hole the winning putt for the Americans. Furyk has had to sit in many an awkward press conference post Ryder Cup and have to deal with questions about why the Americans have lost to a European Team that is weaker on paper, when really the only answer is that the other team played better that week. It was great for him to be on the winning side again.

As well as that this year's Open was brilliant, I was there and also at Carnoustie so it was great to see Harrington win back to back Opens and then back to back majors this year, albeit on the TV for the USPGA. Roll on some more majors for Europeans in 2009 and a maiden win for Oliver Wilson.

The golf trip with the guys down to the links courses in southern Sweden - great play, fantastic food and brilliant wine.

Especially remember the stellar putting display that week, which carried through to the rest of the season, and a brilliant 6 iron shot from 180 yards to within 3 feet for a birdie on one of the toughest holes. Played the first round of the year under my HCP of 5.

/Toby

Mine was a little mean.

I enjoyed the hell out of VJ Singh breaking Sergio's heart at the Barclays last year. Wathcing Sergio make that putt for the win and point up and the broadcast booth-priceless. Then confidently standing there and waiting to watch VJ "lag it close" and then celebrate-priceless. Sergio complaining about gopher holes as he feels the win slipping out of his fingers-PRICELESS.

I'm a VJ fan to start with and have never gotten over Garcia's spitting incident so this was as sweet as it gets.

You can't beat an occasional bit of schadenfreude.

For me it has to be Tigers US Open

How Magic do you get!

Padraigs Definatly Deserves a Mention!

Just to be different, Mickelson's ridiculous over-the-trees shot on the final hole at The Colonial. It was just classic Phil.

I have to second Phil's shot. I didn't chime in earlier becuase I couldn't remember if it was this past season or earlier than that. The anouncers had written him off on that hole and he just stepped up and hit the shot nobody thought was possible. Under some branches and over some pretty sizable trees. A couple bounces on the fringe and roll up to birdie range. No, it didn't win him a major and it wasn't an all day or weekend duel, but as far as single moments go, that one was pretty fantastic.


Loved watching Rocco's charge at the US Open. Grace, humility, determination, and some pretty darn fine golf combined to nearly pluck the title away from the universe's best golfer. If the moment has to be over an entire tournament, that one takes the cake.

Also, well done Padraig. He is flat out dominating during the majors. Augusta should be really interesting with Tiger coming back to challenge Padraig on a major course setup. Can't wait.

A great moment that's sort of overlooked was Woods' eagle putt on 18 in the 3rd round of the US Open. I saw a highlight of it the other day and remembered how exciting that was for a couple of reasons. It was the 2nd eagle in 6 holes, capping off that incredible sequence on the back nine. No hysterics from Tiger, while the crowd is in a frenzy all around him and he is the picture of calm, looking out over the pacific ocean at the setting sun, satisfaction written all over his face. It was all worth it, the pain, the drama...because he'd (somehow) taken the 54-hole lead. He was 13-0 with the lead and he knew it. I like to think that, in spite of all the uncertainty that followed, it's the moment the tournament was won.

Wil Collins Q School Putt, amazing. I think it outshines most of the "pros" achievements. Playing under that pressure, knowing what the year ahead will look like if you don't make it, real life pressure in a golf tournament.

US Open's are great, but knowing that you have to make a putt to avoid scraping by for another year, that's pressure.

Tigers putt on 18 at Bayhill was enough to have The King shaking his head. And all of us I imagine.

for me its got to be watching the ryder cup, and then also watching the Open playoffs while giving my brother the play by play via telephone while he was stuck at work lol

Personally, 08 marked the return to golf for me after an 8 or 9 years

my favourite moment was Tiger winning the us open then announcing he was taking the year off. good for him, he deserves time to rest and get back in playing form. maybe this would give the other 200-some-odd PGA Tour pros a chance to grab some wins and TV publicity.

my least favourite moment would be every time i turned on the golf channel ONLY to be innundated with Tiger TV for the remainder of the season. as well as the questions of "Will golf survive without Tiger"? again, how many other pros play the Tour? glad to see golf made it another year sans the Woods-one.