Before Rory McIlroy‘s triumph at Royal Liverpool, his idol, Tiger Woods, was the man who welcomed the Claret Jug back to the iconic course. It had been 39 years since the course in Hoylake had been used for the oldest major in golf. Ironically, the 1967 Open Championship was the closest Jack Nicklaus ever got to joining the ‘Royal’ ranks as he finished runner-up to Roberto De Vicenzo. With a piece of the past and a promise from the future, Woods stepped onto the Royal Liverpool. But he had a lot going on in his mind.
Just two months prior to his appearance in The Open Championship, Earl Woods had passed away. Tiger’s father was fighting prostate cancer for 8 years, and the disease finally took his life on May 3, 2006. It had a huge impact on Woods, and that was evident in his form on the course. For the first time in 10 years, the 82-time PGA Tour champion missed a cut in the 2006 U.S. Open. He took a few more weeks off before returning in July to finish tied at second in the last edition of the Cialis Western Open. A couple of weeks later, the big cat was at Royal Liverpool looking to make history.
Woods was the defending champion in the 135th edition of The Open Championship. He had beaten the European great, Colin Montgomerie, at St. Andrews a year prior. But this time, he was under a different kind of pressure. After the U.S. Open, Woods had to prove that he could still perform at the highest level even after his father’s passing. Known for not showing reacting often, he was a bit emotional at Hoylake in 2006. And that helped him produce one of the most magical wins.
Unlike the lush green fields in the United States, the Royal Liverpool was dull and dry. But a 31-year-old Woods was full of energy and on a mission. Under the intense and surprising July heat, Woods decided he was going to play a risk-free game. To avoid the fairway bunkers and challenging rough, he deployed the use of long irons for the majority of the tournament. He only used his driver once for the entirety of the tournament, on the par-5 16th hole on Thursday. Missing the fairway then was proof enough for him to stick to his long irons for the remaining 56 holes. The tactic certainly worked as he led the field for driving accuracy throughout the tournament.
Woods found the fairway 85.71% throughout the week, as confirmed on the PGA Tour official website. He also found the greens regularly, and that is not an easy feat to achieve on a links course. In the end, Mr. T scored 67-65-71-67. His 7 bogeys were nearly cancelled out by 3 outstanding eagles. The rest of the job was done by the amazing 19 birdies he scored across the remaining 62 holes. In the end, Woods beat Chris DiMarco by 2 strokes, in a battle where his knowledge and techniques were utilized far more than his raw power and abilities.
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But the win relieved a huge burden from his shoulders. One that would have probably helped him continue to dominate the PGA Tour for the next few years to come.
Tiger Woods found his roar again after becoming a Royal
Since he was a child, Tiger Woods’s biggest idol, mentor, and role model had been his father, Earl Woods. Earl’s passing shook him apart in a way he never expected it would. It wasn’t as if the Woods weren’t anticipating it. Since 1998, when Earl was first diagnosed with prostate cancer, the whole family was preparing for the inevitable. But when it did happen, it had a major effect on Tiger. The missed cut at Winged Foot Golf Club made it evident. So when he won The Open at Royal Liverpool, when he finally became a Royal, Woods was relieved. He embraced Steve Williams after the 18th hole. Some also noticed that 15-time major winner shed a tear on his caddie’s shoulders. He had climbed the mountain again despite the emotional turmoil.
The change in his approach, going from hard-hitting drives to tactical irons, proved to the world that Tiger Woods was a legend. He was not just a heavy hitter, but a complete golfer. Not just all brawn, but also the brains. It took discipline and critical decision-making for him to go from that 16th hole missed fairway in the first round to the 18th hole par on Sunday. To this day, the win is considered one of the most dynamic performances displayed by Woods.
At the Royal Liverpool, Tiger Woods didn’t try to overpower the course, but he outsmarted it. “It’s the most emotional I’ve ever been on a golf course,” he said after his win. But he didn’t let his emotions drive his game. He stuck to his irons, strategized with his mind, played with his heart, and earned his way into the list of ‘Royals’.
The post The Royal Chronicles: Tiger Woods’s 2006 Open Win Was Fueled by Grief, Grit, and Love; a Tribute to Dad appeared first on EssentiallySports.