What Tiger Woods did after winning his first major championship in 1997 that many people thought was ‘crazy’

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Tiger Woods has enjoyed a simply sensational major championship career, with his maiden win arriving all the way back in 1997.

Woods won The Masters that year, securing a stunning 12-shot victory over Tom Kite at Augusta National in Georgia.

Fast-forward to 2019, and the American superstar claimed his 15th major championship win, fittingly at The Masters.

Woods won The Masters in 2019 having been two shots back after 54 holes, with the success representing his only comeback major win.

Why people thought Tiger Woods was ‘crazy’ for his change after The Masters in 1997

It was the complete opposite of his stroll at Augusta in 1997, when he held a superb nine-shot lead heading into the final day.

Woods did indeed revisit the victory just before he took on the 2009 US Open, where he discussed why players sometimes change their golf swing soon after winning a major.

Asked why players do that, and if they can go too far with the change, he replied: “You’re asking the wrong guy.

“After I won the Masters by 12 I changed my swing. People thought I was crazy for that. I said just wait. Just be patient with it. It will come around. And in ’99 and 2000 I won 17 times.

“So sometimes you have to take a step or two back before you can make a giant leap forward. And that’s the hard part, sticking through those periods.

“And even though you’re making those changes, finding a way to post a number or shoot a score and win a golf tournament, that becomes a lot more difficult.

“Anyone can do it when they’re hot. But to grind it out and suck it up and get it done somehow and turn it around, that could cost you a tournament, a round that keeps you in the tournament, those are testing times. Plus everyone’s always asking you about it, too.

“Every round you finish, you complete, someone asks you about your swing changes, is it worth it, blah, blah, blah and you keep getting it all the time until you turn it around.”

READ MORE: Tiger Woods’ really simple advice which could help golfers get more distance with their driver

What titles did Tiger Woods win in 1999 and 2000?

Woods didn’t exactly set the world alight after truly announcing himself on the biggest stage with that unforgettable win at The Masters in 1997.

He had won two events before, but couldn’t emulate his four wins from 1997 in the following year, when he lifted only the trophy at the BellSouth Classic.

But the swing change clearly came into play in the two years that followed when, as Woods mentioned, 17 titles went his way.

Eight of those arrived in 1999, with a second major championship win coming via a one-shot victory over Sergio Garcia at the PGA Championship.

One of the greatest golf seasons ever then followed in 2000, when Woods claimed nine titles, including the US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship.