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Bag Chatter’s Top Tiger Moments
The entire country was talking about Tiger’s remarkable win at Bay Hill last week.
Tiger making the final birdie putt to win was a foregone conclusion in many people’s minds. Rather than settle for the mundane, Woods has a flair for the dramatic that can’t be matched. Michael Jordan seemed to hang in the air just a second longer than the people he played against. As a child of the 1990’s, it was hard for me to believe that any athlete could ever match him. Now Tiger Woods has surpassed him. It got me thinking about my favorite Tiger Woods moments, so I polled the rest of the Bag Chatter staff to see what they thought.
A Raehtz: My top Tiger shot is putt at Valhalla on the 17th at the 2000 PGA Championship to take the lead over Bob May. Every single Tiger Woods highlight reel has footage of Tiger walking the putt in with his finger pointed at the hole. It is simply timeless. He walks it in, picks it up, and charges to the next tee. There are very few times in golf that you get to see that cutthroat mentality like Tiger at Valhalla. He just couldn’t wait to get on that tee and finish May off with a giant drive.
D Grannan: My defining moment in the career of Tiger Woods is when he beat Stephen Ames, 9 and 8 in the Accenture World Match Play. After being asked about his chances in the match with Tiger, Ames stated "Anything can happen….Especially where he’s hitting the ball." Talk about inserting ones foot in their mouth. Apparently that statement motivated Tiger to unleash a beating rarely seen in golf, especially at the professional level. Tiger was asked if the statements made by Ames motivated him, he replied with a resounding and confident, "Yes". Then he was asked if he cared to elaborate, Tiger replied just as quickly and surely, "No." It is a perfect example of what Tiger can do when he is motivated, total destruction of a player or the field. Stephen Ames was handed one of the worst defeats in Match play history all because he made the mistake of unleashing a lion, or in this case a Tiger. This incident reminds me of several others that include Vijay, Rory, and Phil, all misstepping by calling Tiger out and then paying the price for doing so. It is almost as if Mr. Woods has a special gear that he can go to when he is upset by some silly comment made from one of his peers. He lets his clubs do the talking, maybe people should work on that instead of using their mouths.
K Vakamudi: I know it’s a cliche but anytime I think about Tiger Woods, the first thing that comes to mind is the 16th at Augusta in 2005. No other athlete before and no one since has had such an uncanny knack for making the impossible look routine. It was nearly an impossible shot to get close, let alone hole out. But a typical pitch that went flying down the hill slamming into the pin, would be far too easy. This shot had destiny written all over it, sauntering down the hill with the perfect line and perfect speed only to stop at the edge of the hole. The milliseconds during which the ball hung on the edge of the hole seemed to go on forever until it finally fell into the hole. Even the most talented author couldn’t have imagined a more perfect story. It transcended real life and for a moment crept into fantasy.
M Anderson: For every moment that Tiger Woods performs feats unparalleled in golf history, the one that stands out for me is not one of his mastery of ball and club but his reaction to his victory at The Open at Hoylake in 2006. Ten times previously, Tiger had dominated the field and gone home with the spoils: a green jacket, a claret jug, the Wanamaker and the US Open Trophies. Ten times he had turned to his family to celebrate. This time was different. For the first time, Tiger could no longer turn to the man who had been his best friend and mentor. Earl Woods, Tiger’s father, had died a mere 2 months previously.
On that day, Tiger’s famed self-control cracked and for once we were privileged to see the man rather than the marvel as this phenomenally talented and dedicated sportsman broke into tears in the knowledge that this was a victory that he could not share with the man who more than any other allowed him to become who he has. In an era of arrogance and bluster, when soundbites take anyway any sense that sportsman are one of us, here was someone exposed as exactly that, experiencing heartbreak at what should be a moment of supreme joy. Tiger often makes the superlative look mundane but this was the first time that the public caught a glimpse of the extraordinary man behind the achievements and his love and admiration for his "Pops" who made it all possible.
What’s your favorite Tiger moment? Discuss it in our forums!
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Morning 9: Tiger confirms playing schedule | Player: This caused Tiger’s downfall
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Tour Photo Galleries
Photos from the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
GolfWRX is on site this week in McKinney, Texas, at the 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson (FKA the AT&T Byron Nelson).
Last year at TPC Craig Ranch, Jason Day ended a five-year winless streak. J-Day is in the field again, as are Jordan Spieth, Tom Kim, and Will Zalatoris.
We have our usual assortment of general galleries, WITBs, and pullout albums for your perusal. As always, we’ll continue to add links to additional albums as they make their way to us from the Lone Star State.
Check out links to all our photos below.
General Albums
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Monday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #1
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #2
- 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson – Tuesday #3
WITB Albums
- Pierceson Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kris Kim – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- David Nyfjall – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Adrien Dumont de Chassart – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Jarred Jetter – North Texas PGA Section Champ – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Richy Werenski – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Wesley Bryan – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Parker Coody – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Peter Kuest – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Blaine Hale, Jr. – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Kelly Kraft – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Rico Hoey – WITB – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Pullout Albums
- Adam Scott’s 2 new custom L.A.B. Golf putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Scotty Cameron putters – 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson
- Ben Griffin playing Maxfli golf ball
See what GolfWRXers are saying in the forums.
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News
Vincenzi’s 2024 CJ Cup Byron Nelson betting preview: International talent to shine
As anticipation mounts for the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla in a few weeks, the PGA Tour makes a pit stop in McKinney, Texas to play The CJ CUP Byron Nelson.
Last year was the third time TPC Craig Ranch hosted the Byron Nelson. Prior to 2021, the event was held at Trinity Forest Golf Club in Dallas.
TPC Craig Ranch is a 7,414-yard par-71 that features Bentgrass greens. The event historically plays relatively easy, and that has remained the case in the three editions at TPC Craig Ranch.
The course structure may provide some additional intrigue with the par-3 17th featuring a stadium setup called “Ranch 17” which is reminiscent of the 16th hole at TPC Scottsdale. The course also has both long and difficult par-4s mixed with drivable par-4s, which should create some exciting moments.
There are 156 golfers in the field this week, and many stars will be taking the week off to prepare for 2023’s second major championship in a few weeks and a “signature event” at Quail Hollow next week. Notable players in the field include Jordan Spieth, Jason Day, Sungjae Im, Stephan Jaeger, Tom Kim, Si Woo Kim, Min Woo Lee, Alex Noren, Adam Scott and Will Zalatoris.
Past Winners of the AT&T Byron Nelson
- 2023: Jason Day (-23 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2022: K.H. Lee (-26 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2021: K.H. Lee (-25 at TPC Craig Ranch)
- 2019: Sung Kang (-23)
- 2018: Aaron Wise (-23)
- 2017: Billy Horschel (-12)
- 2016: Sergio Garcia (-15)
- 2015: Steven Bowditch (-18)
Key Stats at TPC Craig Ranch
Let’s take a look at five key metrics for TPC Craig Ranch to determine which golfers boast top marks in each category over their last 24 rounds.
Strokes Gained: Approach
Strokes Gained: Approach remains the best measure of current form.
Hot iron play will be at a premium this week. Last year, Jason Day gained 6.4 strokes on approach, which was fourth in the field. In 2022, K.H. Lee was ninth in the field in Strokes Gained: Approach, gaining 5.2 strokes. In his 2021 victory, he was second in the field and gained 8.3 strokes on the field in the category.
Strokes Gaines: Approach Over Past 24 Rounds
- Tom Hoge (+1.12)
- Keith Mitchell (+1.02)
- Henrik Norlander (+0.99)
- Ryan Moore (+0.98)
- Ben Martin (0.80)
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee
Fairways are wide at TPC Craig Ranch.
Distance will certainly be helpful, and there aren’t too many difficult holes on the course. Golfers who put themselves in position off of the tee this week should have a sizable advantage.
Strokes Gained: Off the Tee Over Past 24 Rounds
- Peter Kuest (+0.93)
- Kevin Daugherty (+0.91)
- Alejandro Tosti (+0.83)
- Keith Mitchell (+0.82)
- Kevin Tway (+0.74)
Birdie or Better %
There aren’t many hazards on the course, and all of the par-5s should be reachable in two for the majority of the players in the field. I am anticipating a birdie fest, and this statistic should be helpful in finding the birdie-makers.
Birdie or Better % Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Wesley Bryan (31%)
- Kelly Kraft (26.2%)
- Peter Kuest (25.9%)
- Matti Schmid (25.7%
- Jimmy Stanger (25.2%)
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass)
Many golfers on TOUR have some major putting surface variance in their statistics and prefer Bentgrass to other surfaces.
Bentgrass is common in Texas, and we often see golfers who play well in Texas continue to do so, finding a great feel around the greens.
Strokes Gained: Putting (Bentgrass) Over Past 24 Rounds:
- Maverick McNealy (+0.92)
- Aaron Baddeley (+0.87)
- Callum Tarren (+0.86)
- Harry Hall (+0.81)
- Nick Hardy (+0.69)
Course History
This statistic will tell us which players have performed the best at TPC Craig Ranch over the past three seasons.
Course History Over Past 12 Rounds:
- Jordan Spieth (+2.69)
- K.H. Lee (+2.59)
- Seamus Power (+1.84)
- Ryan Palmer (+1.76)
- Adam Scott (+1.72)
CJ CUP Byron Nelson Model Rankings
Below, I’ve compiled overall model rankings using a combination of the five key statistical categories previously discussed — SG: Approach (27%), SG: OTT (24%), Birdie or Better % (18%), Course History (17%) and SG: Putting Bentgrass (16%).
- Alex Noren
- Adam Scott
- Keith Mitchell
- Si Woo Kim
- Stephen Jaeger
- Jordan Spieth
- Jhonnatan Vegas
- Nate Lashley
- Brice Garnett
- Tom Hoge
2024 CJ CUP Byron Nelson Picks
Byeong Hun An +3000 (DraftKings)
Byeong Hun put together an excellent performance at The Masters, finishing T16, which ties his best ever finish at a major championship (also T16 at 2019 U.S. Open). The South Korean gained 9.16 strokes from tee to green, which ranked 2nd in the field behind only the champion, Scottie Scheffler.
An’s next start at Harbour Town didn’t go as well (67th), but he still had a fantastic ball striking week. The 32-year-old bled strokes both around and on the greens, which was his eventual undoing. In his past three starts, An has gained significant strokes on the field both off the tee and on approach.
Benny had a strong start at last year’s Byron Nelson, finishing in a tie for 14th. With limited challenges on the course, he shouldn’t have to do much scrambling. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 17th in the field in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee and 17th in the field in birdie or better percentage. The putter is up and down per usual, but his ceiling putting weeks with his LAB Golf putter in 2024 are higher than they’ve been in past seasons.
An is starting to become my “white whale” of the PGA Tour, but I believe in his talent and TPC Craig Ranch is a course that should suit his excellent tee to green play.
Mackenzie Hughes +5500 (FanDuel)
Mackenzie Hughes is quietly putting together a very good season. He finished in a tie for 3rd at the Valspar Championship and followed that up with a T14 at the Texas Children’s Houston Open.
In his past 36 rounds in Texas, the Canadian ranks 5th in the field in Strokes Gained: Total. Last year, he finished in a tie for 14th at this event and gained strokes putting and off the tee. Mackenzie played well that week despite being in extremely poor form. He missed two cuts in a row prior to the event, and four consecutive cuts immediately after. His irons were off that week, but in 2024, we’ve seen an improvement in Hughes’ approach game. He now comes to the event playing some steady golf. He’s gained strokes on approach in four of his past five events and is hitting the ball very well from tee to green.
Hughes has two victories on the PGA Tour, both coming in relatively low-scoring affairs (-17 in each). He will need to go a bit deeper to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson but has the type of putter that can keep pace in a birdie barrage.
Seamus Power +7000 (FanDuel)
After struggling over the past few seasons with injuries, Seamus Power seems as if he is rounding back into the form that made him a really consistent player on the PGA Tour.
Power finished T12 in his most recent start at the RBC Heritage, which is encouraging considering it was a “signature event” with a very strong field. For the week, the Irishman gained 4.4 strokes on approach and 2.8 strokes putting, which is the combination he’s used in the past to contend on Tour.
In his three trips to TPC Craig Ranch, Power is yet to finish outside of the top-20, with his best finish being a T9 in 2019. He ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Total at the course. The 37-year-old thrives on easy tracks and has won in 2021 (Barbasol Championship) and 2022 (Butterfield Bermuda) on easier layouts with weaker fields.
Power has the game to go extremely low and I believe he can get back in the winner’s circle for the third time in four years.
Chan Kim +10000 (FanDuel)
Chan Kim has been striking the ball beautifully this season and is a proven winner with two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023 as well as eight career Japan Tour wins.
At last week’s Zurich Classic, Kim and his partner Doug Ghim finished in a tie for 28th. Prior to that, the South Korean T14 at the Valero Texas Open and T6 at the Corales Puntacana Championship. His success this season in Texas as well as he propensity to play his best golf on the PGA Tour’s easier courses make him and ideal fit for TPC Craig Ranch.
2024 has given plenty of longshot winners on the PGA Tour, and with a birdie fest like this, I believe there’s a strong chance we get another this week in McKinney, Texas.
Alejandro Tosti +10000 (FanDuel)
Alejandro Tosti is one of the most polarizing players on the PGA Tour thus far in the 2024 season. His antics can rub many the wrong way, but he’s shown on a few occasions that he has what it takes to compete in Tour events.
This season, Tosti has been elite off the tee. In his past 24 rounds, he ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Off the Tee. The Argentine hits it long and straight, which works at any course on earth. He got a taste of contention a few starts ago at the Texas Children’s Houston Open, finishing in a tie for 2nd place.
Tosti had a fantastic year in 2023 on the Korn Ferry Tour, where going low is a prerequisite to success. If this turns to a shootout, which it likely will, the 27-year-old has the ability to set the pace. Tosti will look to become the second Argentine to win in Texas in the past two seasons after Emiliano Grillo emerged victorious at last year’s Charles Schwab Challenge.
C.T. Pan +15000 (FanDuel)
Outside of a T3 at the Mexico Open, C.T. Pan doesn’t have strong results this season in terms of finishes. However, over his past two starts, Pan’s iron play has come alive. At The Players, he gained 6.6 strokes on approach. At the Valero Texas Open, he gained 3.7. At last week’s Zurich Classic, Pan and his partner Kevin Yu finished T28. For a player who can get extremely hot with his scoring clubs, I believe he’s playing better than the results have shown over the past month or so.
Last season, Pan finished 4th at TPC Craig Ranch and was spectacular across all the major stat categories. In his past 36 qualifying rounds, he ranks 16th in Strokes Gained: Total in Texas.
Pan has won on the PGA Tour at the RBC Heritage and is always a player that I believe has what it takes to win on a Sunday if he finds himself in contention.
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Dan
Mar 25, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Peter,
Since you called me out I will go ahead and reply to your little blurb. You are entitled to your opinion, as am I. In no way, shape, or form did I say that anyone should ever lie down and fail to compete. But players should be careful what they say with respect to Tiger’s game as it apparently motivates him to unleash a beating. Wouldn’t you think people would learn? Why call his game out? Like I mentioned in my little paragraph, instead of trying to use your mouth to irk Tiger, why not use your clubs?
I don’t worship anyone or anything, just as an FYI. As a former professional golfer I can appreciate what he is doing and has done. I only can control myself and my own actions, I cannot control what other professionals want to do. They can adhere to whatever beliefs that they want to, and I personally could care less if they talk trash or not. But if they do, as history has clearly shown, they best be prepared to reap the whirlwind from Tiger.
I was relaying a story per a request. If you did not like my take on it, oh well, comes with the territory. My brief paragraph highlighted a memorable moment in Tiger’s career. It happened to be about the beating he gave Ames, which was obvious it was because of what he said. If you want to add fuel to the fire of possibly the greatest player ever, feel free and go ahead. I would subscribe to the notion of letting my abilities do the work, not my mouth. I never once said that someone should worship Tiger, but respect is a different story. Be careful what you say as it can come back to bite you in the behind.
If you can point out in my article where I stated or implied that all of professional golf should lie down and not compete to make way for the Tiger show, I would love to see it.
Dan
therobsclub
Mar 22, 2008 at 8:53 pm
I’m gonna have to go with Tiger’s unmightyly shot from the bunker at Hazeltine with a 3 iron on 18. To hit it that high, over a tree that is literally right in front of him, and stick it to 10 feet and make a birdie is just incredible!!!! You literally have to stand there in the bunker and see what he had to work with. He even claims that, that is his best shot ever. The 16th at Augusta was a great shot, but the theatrics of it make it seem like it was the most amazing shot in golf. If you take a look at the chip that Palmer made against Player in the Masters, everyone will tell you that it was harder than Tiger’s chip.
Peter
Mar 22, 2008 at 8:52 pm
Hey D Grannan, so every other professional golfer should just stand aside and join the banal and sycophantic hero worship of Tiger that you subscribe to?
Without taking anything away from the guy – and he clearly is the best golfer on the planet by a long way – the other guys out there cannot, and must not, concede defeat. They *must* strive, they *must* continue to believe that they can beat everyone else, including Tiger.
Otherwise competitive professional golf with cease to exist and the multi-million industry will simply stop.
There has to be a sense of question about who will win any particular event, otherwise whats the point? It becomes the Tiger show, and frankly, that gets boring very very quickly.
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