Memorable PGA events
Credit to Author: Tempo Online| Date: Thu, 16 May 2019 13:45:33 +0000
2009 PGA at Hazeltine
Ten years ago, Tiger Woods lost for the first time at a major event when he was leading after 54 holes as South Korea’s Yang Yong-eun beat him for the PGA Championship crown. Yang held off his final-round playing partner to become the first Asian-born man to win a major title, a chip-in eagle at 14 giving him the lead for good. The loss dented the unbeatable aura Woods had achieved in going 14-for-14 at majors when ahead after three rounds. Three months later came the sex scandal revelation that ruined Woods as a pitchman and knee and back injuries followed that kept Woods winless in majors until last month’s Masters.
2009 US Open at Bethpage
Heavy rains allowed leaders to finish only two holes of the last round at swamped Bethpage, where a TV scene of a hole flag flying on an underwater green became the event’s enduring image. American Lucas Glover won his only major title, with Phil Mickelson stumbling late to the fifth of his record six US Open runner-up results. He eagled 13 to match Glover for the lead but missed a short birdie putt on 14 and made bogeys at 15 and 17 to seal his fate. Glover birdied 16 and closed with two pars for the win.
2002 US Open at Bethpage
In the first major tournament to be staged on the Long island public course layout, Tiger Woods won after having captured the Masters earlier in the year. Woods beat Mickelson by three strokes for his eighth career major title and second US Open crown. Woods became the first player since Jack Nicklaus 30 years earlier to win the first two majors in a year, a feat also accomplished by Ben Hogan, Craig Wood and Arnold Palmer.