5 Most Memorable Moments of PGA Championship

Davis Love and his blessed run at the Winged Foot

The Whistling Straits hadn’t even been born at the time when Davis Love finally won his first major title in 1997. With Justin Leonard hot on his heels, Love produced a memorable final round 66 to win the title.

But it was a couple of things that many didn’t know that made this one especially poignant. First, Love’s father was a successful PGA Professional and so this title had added lustre to the family. Second, just as Love made birdie at the final hole, a rainbow made an appearance in the skies making the moment immortal for Love and the many that watched it all unfold that evening at the Winged Foot.

Image: AP/Elise Amendola

Y E Yang’s improbable triumph at Hazeltine

Only nine months before the PGA Championship at Hazeltine in Minnesota, Yang was grinding out his clubs on the PGA Tour qualifying circuit. Yang was lying two behind Tiger Woods going into the final round.

Woods never lost a major when he had the lead going into the final round in 2009. But Yang was playing with a freedom that betrayed the fact that he was working to become the first Asian to win a major championship.

After making a couple of birdies on the front nine to wipe away the deficit, Yang took control at the 14th hole. With Woods within birdie range, Yang chipped in for an eagle to take the lead.

At the 18th, his view of the flag obscured by a tree, Yang sailed past the bunker with a 3-Iron to settle within twelve feet of the flag. Another birdie followed to help him snatch a three shot victory over Woods.

The audacity of his triumph helped dilute some of the aura around Woods as well as ignite a fresh wave of golfers across Asia.

The re-affirmation of Tiger Woods at Medinah

Woods was already an international phenomenon when he arrived at Medinah as a young man destined for greatness. But after winning the Masters in 1997, he was still searching for his second title.

With a teenaged Sergio Garcia chasing him with boldness, Woods managed to hold off the ebullient Spaniard through an engaging duel over the final nine holes.

The afternoon was intense – many remember the glare that Garcia shot at Tiger soon after he sank a long birdie putt at the par-3 13th hole.

The drama reached fever pitch when Garcia mistimed his drive at the 16th to end up at the foot of one of many trees that line Medina. In a moment of sheer teenaged exuberance, Garcia slashed at the ball with his 6-iron and ran across the fairway trying to catch the trajectory of his adventure.

As the ball reached the green, he signaled the pounding of his heart to an eager crowd that was lapping up every dollop of this young man’s courage. Eventually it took some gumption from Tiger himself to ensure he sneaked it past the charging Spaniard to clinch the title.

It was a duel that raised visions of a lasting rivalry (that did not materialize) even as it affirmed the promise of Woods as a prolific winner.

Bob Tway and his bunker shot

This is perhaps one of the more unlikely victories in the annals of golf. Bob Tway was trailing Greg Norman by four shots with only eight holes to play in the final round. Many consider Tway to be a lucky golfer to have nailed a major, but considering that he was top ten that year at both the Masters and the US Open, that was certainly an unkind cut.

Remember too that Tway was seven behind after Norman had carded a course record six under 65 in the first round at the Inverness Club. But things turned on their head when Tway erased Norman’s two day old record with a 64 on Saturday.

Norman though was still in the lead, having taken the Saturday honours for the fourth straight major – remember the Saturday Slam? A four shot cushion after ten holes should have been enough, but Norman double bogeyed the eleventh and Tway birdied the 13th to narrow the gap down to just one.

The two drew level when Norman bogeyed the 14th, finally offering some hope to Tway. The American was energized by the slender opening and when he miraculously saved par with wedge shots off the rough protecting the greens at 15 and 17, the scent of a playoff began to surround the course.

As the two players reached the 18th there was nothing separating them, except pedigree. Norman hit the fairway with his tee shot and Tway sank into the rough. The second shot landed in the sand for Tway and Norman’s made the green before spinning back into the rough.

With the green sliding away from him and barely enough space for him to land the ball, Tway hit a miraculous bunker shot that fell on the green and dropped in the cup, scripting a moment of mad magic that shall always be remembered.

John Daly’s fate takes a glorious turn at Crooked Stick

This is one story that will put fables to the shade. John Daly was the ninth alternate for the 1991 PGA Championship at Crooked Fate. But as one withdrawal followed another, Daly had to drive himself from Memphis to Indianapolis in what turned out to be the most important ride of his life.

Having arrived, he still needed a Caddie. No problem though, as Jeff Medlin became available with another withdrawal in the form of Nick Price.

Powered by the hand of fate and driven by destiny, Daly smashed the ball that week for an astonishing three shot victory. At the end of it all, Daly had 21 birdies and an eagle in his 12-under 276, but more importantly he had thousands of fans wondering how it all transpired long after he had driven back home with the Wanamaker trophy for company.