‘I Always Had Envisioned It’: 21-Year-Old Tiger Woods Wasn’t Surprised By His Inaugural Major Championship Victory at the 1997 Masters

Tiger Woods has claimed endless glory across his trophy-laden career. The 47-year-old is a winner of 82 PGA Tour titles, which remains the joint-highest to date. But legacies are built on major championships, where Woods has etched his name forever. One of the most dominant players of his era, he captured an impressive 15 major championships. But his first one, at the 1997 Masters Tournament, retains a special place for Woods, who once sat down to reflect on his win.

A young Tiger Woods talks about his inaugural Major Championship victory

While Woods was already making waves at the junior circuit before imposing himself on the PGA Tour, few would have predicted his win at the 1997 Masters. In a field filled with stars, a 21-year-old Woods made his mark with an astounding victory.

He sat down with ESPN host Jimmy Roberts for an exclusive soon after to talk about his rapid rise. The victory at Augusta was invariably discussed, with Woods himself admitting that he was surprised by his mammoth win.

Read more: “On Paper It’s Possible”: Tiger Woods Once Admitted “Luck” As the Major Factor To Achieve a Career Milestone, Which Still Is an Unrequited Dream of Him

Indeed, his victory was heavily one-sided. At the end of Sunday, Woods finished 12 strokes ahead of his closest challenger, which prompted fans to take notice. The margin was one of the biggest in major championships, a record that Woods himself holds at the 2000 U.S. Open, where he won by 15 strokes.

But he claimed to have envisioned the win before winning the tournament. “To be honest with you that winning a major early, I always had envisioned it,” he said. “So it’s not that big [of] a surprise, [but] for me to do it in the fashion I did it is a surprise, to win by 12, that’s more than I ever dreamt of,” he revealed.

Woods was early on schedule for a Major Championship victory

Furthermore, the golf legend admitted to having aimed to win a major championship by the age of 22, which he himself broke. “I kind of thought I would do it by 22 or so. I kind of beat my own expectations,” he said.

Indeed, the golf great went on to secure several other major championships in his quest to become the game’s most celebrated player. Do you think Woods is the indisputable GOAT in golf? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Watch This Story: Memorabilia From Historic Tiger Woods Moment Sells for 6 Figures