Editors observe: In the April trouble, within the ultimate tale Dan Jenkins did for Golf Digest earlier than his loss of life at 90, he delivered our Greatest of All Time Invitational—The GOAT. The pinnacle 32 inside the legendary event advanced from stroke-play qualifying at Augusta National to fit play at venues around the sector. In the May issue and online day by day from March 20 through April three, Senior Writer Guy Yocom is documenting the 30 suit-play outcomes main to the final at Pebble Beach. So who turns into the champion? The winner may be found out online on April 4 and inside the June difficulty. Screenwriter Mark Frost, whose books have covered The Greatest Game Ever Played and The Match: The Day the Game of Golf Changed Forever, will write two very last versions with specific winners.
The reality that Arnold Palmer owned Bay Hill become royalty there, played masses of informal and match rounds there or even received there in 1971, was mitigated by one reality: Tiger Woods gained 8 instances at Bay Hill, often with outrageous ease, and possessed a sport that changed into ideal for the Dick Wilson-designed layout. Arnold preferred Tiger and had worn his hand raw, patting him on the back after his many triumphs; however, whilst Arnie’s Army greeted him with a thunderous ovation on the primary tee, his competitiveness got here out. “I wish you brought your ‘A’ recreation today, even if those humans are hoping you convey something much less,” he said.
“I’m humbled, Arnold,” Tiger said. “Let’s display them what we will do.” The players every opened with five scratchy pars, the weight of the competition honestly doing away with them from their consolation zones. At the long par-five 6th, which became gambling downwind, Tiger carried the menacing lake, then hit his technique to five feet. The eagle gave him a 1-up lead, which he held via the eleventh hole. Arnold hit a screaming tee shot at the par-five twelfth, then threaded a low three-wood onto the inexperienced, 20 ft from the hollow, then rammed the eagle putt home along with his rear-shafted blade putter to rectangular the match.
Tiger regarded unfazed. Tugging on the corners of his pink shirt—he chose his Sunday outfit just for the event—he knifed a wedge to three feet on the par-four 13th. There, a disruption happened. As Tiger stood over the birdie putt, a fan’s digital camera clicked audibly. Tiger’s caddie, Steve Williams, who was filling in for an injured Joe LaCava, seized the device and hurled it into the water near the inexperienced. Arnold frowned on the act, and so did Tiger. But Woods recovered, made the putt, and become back to one up. He went 2 up with another birdie on the par-three 14th, and the most effective wish for Arnold became to level considered one of his prices.
The King had a 10-foot birdie putt for a win on the 15th and then a 20-footer for eagle and a win at the par-five sixteenth. However, neither putt fell. Arnold buckled on the knees in ache after both misses. When Tiger hit a 4-iron to twenty-five feet at the 17th and carried out a recurring two-putt for a halve, the deal was sealed. The 2-and-1 victory despatched Tiger to The GOAT final.
