It seems hard to believe that it has been more than two decades since Tiger Woods arrived on the scene at Augusta National. His 1997 performance--more on that in a moment--changed the face of the game. We'll call it the Tiger Woods Era. Here are the five best moments at the Masters in the Tiger Woods Era, as selected by the News4Jax sports staff.
5. Phil Mickelson's 2014 win
Mickelson's first win at the Masters may be best remembered by his famous leap after a birdie on the 18th hole. Mickelson shot 31 on the back nine to earn his first Green Jacket.
4. Charl Schwartzel's impressive finish in 2011
Schwartzel birdied the last four holes en route to his Green Jacket in 2011. He started his final round four strokes behind the leaders, but his hot finish led to a final-round 66 to beat Jason Day and Adam Scott by two strokes. It was Schwartzel's only major championship to date.
3. Tiger's Chip in in 2005
Woods, already a three-time winner at Augusta National, and Chris DiMarco were dueling down to the wire. Woods' drive on 16 was pulled left, off the green and against a cut of rough. Woods took aim well above the hole, chipped it and the world watched as the ball tracked to the hole, paused for a moment on the lip, showed the Nike swoosh on the ball, then dropped. Woods would go on to win in a playoff.
It became a commercial. It's been replayed perhaps more than any other shot of Woods' career.
2. Bubba from the trees in 2012
Playing against Louis Oosthuizen in a sudden-death playoff, Watson hit his drive well right on the 10th hole. Deep in the trees, with a lie on pine straw, Watson hit a low, rising hook from 164 yards away to within 15 feet of the hole, setting up the first of his two Masters wins.
1. Tiger's first
Woods was already a phenom and a curiosity when he teed it up for the first time as a pro at Augusta National. His performance was more than legendary. Woods set tournament records for margin of victory--beating Tom Kite by 12 strokes--lowest score, his 270 total was good for 18-under par as he became the youngest Masters champion ever at the age of 21. Exploding onto the golf scene and the sports world, Woods would change the face of the game after his first of four Masters wins.