Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods might have 20 major championships between them but it could and maybe should have been one more in the Woods column at the 2012 PGA Championship.
As we know, McIlroy won out at Kiawah Island with a superb display of golf that culminated in one of the best final rounds we’ve seen from him.
McIlroy, of course, was hot property back in 2012 and having claimed the US Open the year prior, he went into the PGA in 2012 as one of the favourites.
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Woods, meanwhile, was going through a bit of a lean spell, with his last major coming with the 2008 US Open.
Nevertheless, Woods had his chance at Kiawah Island to end that barren spell, before disaster struck after two solid opening rounds.
How Rory McIlroy saw off Tiger Woods to beat him by 11 shots
With Tiger Woods very much still a threat – he won three times in 2012, including the Memorial and the Arnold Palmer – nobody would ever expect him not to compete.
And compete he did. Over two rounds at Kiawah Island, Woods was firmly in contention and was actually one of the joint leaders at four-under par while crucially, he was two clear of McIlroy.
Woods looked in good form and with two rounds to go, many expected him to dial it up a notch and pull clear as he had done so often previously.
However, Rory McIlroy – and the weather – had other ideas for Tiger.
With a fierce storm coming in on the Saturday, Woods went into his third round in tough conditions and paid the ultimate price as his game unravelled. He made five bogeys, and while he did recover with three back nine birdies, the damage was done as he fell five back of McIlroy, who himself produced the sublime to card a third round 67.
Still, the best was yet to come for McIlroy in round four as he found his very best form to go one better and shoot a magnificent 66, putting him at -13 for the tournament.
Woods, meanwhile, could only shoot level par as he conceded 13 shots to McIlroy over just two rounds of golf and ended up 11 behind the winner.
McIlroy’s winning margin of eight was the largest PGA Championship victory of all-time.
As for Woods, he had to lick his wounds with a T11 finish and it wouldn’t be until 2019 at the Masters until he won a major again.
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The biggest winning margins in major championships
Rory McIlroy’s win at the 2012 PGA Championship was impressive in itself but there are others who have topped his winning margin of eight in the other majors.
Coincidentally, it is Tiger Woods who holds the biggest ever major winning margin. Woods won by 15 at the US Open in 2000 in one of the most dominant performances ever.
Woods also holds the Masters record after 1997 victory saw him beat Tom Kite by 12 strokes.
As for The Open, that record sits with Old Tom Morris, who won by 13 way back in 1862.
Finally, McIlroy’s win at Kiawah Island here remains the biggest PGA Championship victory of all-time, with Scottie Scheffler coming the closest to matching it with his win by five this year.
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