It is easy to forget that the tournament now known as The Sentry has a pretty significant spot in golf folklore as it was the event Tiger Woods won to kick off his historic 2000 season.
Widely considered to be the greatest season of all-time, Tiger Woods won nine times in 2000. That included the last three majors of the year – setting the stage for the completion of the Tiger Slam at the 2001 Masters.
But one of the most dramatic finishes of the year came in the curtain-raiser in Kapalua, with Woods facing off with Ernie Els in a playoff. They had both had their moments where it appeared that they were on the brink of being beaten.
However, as they reached the green on the second playoff hole, it appeared that the duel would continue to the next tee. Woods was first to putt from 40 feet, while Els was a little closer on a similar line.
What Tiger Woods said before making the putt which sealed victory at The Sentry in 2000
Of course, Woods disappointed all of the fans who wanted the playoff to go on and on. He would make the putt before producing one of his trademark fist pumps. Els meanwhile, hit a good putt but left it just short to confirm Woods’ first of nine wins in 2000.
And speaking on Golf Channel about that day, Mark Rolfing shared what he heard Woods say before he found the bottom of the cup.
“There’s a couple of things I remember about the Sunday: how big the crowd was first of all. Tiger’s attraction was just unbelievable back then,” he said.
“But I remember walking up with the two players to the first green, which was their second playoff hole, and I was little bit closer with Ricci Roberts, so I could hear exactly what he was saying – he was Ernie’s caddie of course – and as we went walking up there, Tiger had about 40 feet, Ernie was a little bit inside.
“And Ricci Roberts, I heard him say to Ernie, ‘let’s just two-putt and go to the next hole’. And then about five seconds later, I heard Tiger say to Stevie Williams, ‘I can make it’. And I knew right then after he made it, that was the difference between those two guys.
“And Ernie happened to be staying at a condo next to me for the week, and that night I just listened to him basically commiserate and it was pretty clear to me that he knew he was not as good as Tiger Woods.”
The claim Ernie Els would make about Woods’ 2000 season after their playoff in Kapalua
It is remarkable just how often Woods seemed to step up when the pressure was on. Not only was he perhaps the most talented player of his generation, but he was also one of the sport’s finest competitors – as shown by his desire to keep pushing his body at this stage of his career.
Every golf fan can probably recall a putt Woods made when the tournament seemed to be on the line. What happened at the Mercedes Championship 25 years ago was not an anomaly by any means – hence why Els seemingly felt so deflated later on.
Els would claim Woods would be so tough to beat in the majors that year. But even he probably could not imagine how accurate he would be.
And those clutch moments such as the playoff in Kapalua would have certainly played their part in giving Woods even more belief about what he could be capable of.
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