‘I’m The Only One He Can’t Intimidate’: 25 Years Later, Tiger Woods’ Kryptonite Floored With Honor

Tiger Woods is probably one of the best players in PGA Tour history. The golf legend is without a doubt golf’s crown jewel, and this is pretty much universally acknowledged as true. The professional golfer has won several prestigious events, including five Masters Tournaments, four PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens, and three British Opens. Both the list and Tiger’s golf career are undoubtedly not over.

Many would be hesitant to challenge Woods on the course, given his incredible achievements during his career. Though it may be every golfer’s goal to defeat him once in their lifetime, and there is one golfer out there who has actually lived the dream in reality!

The American golfer who beat Tiger Woods in 1998

Golf veterans are coming together for this year’s Principal Charity Classic. The field is filled with the highest talent and skills. Billy Mayfair is one of those notable golfers who is displaying his impressive abilities on the course. Mayfair has five PGA Tour victories to his name, and has been playing for around 35 years. However, he is most well-known for being the only golfer to defeat Tiger Woods in a PGA Tour playoff. Mayfair and Woods competed against each other in a playoff at the 1998 Nissan Open. Both players shot 12-under par, but Mayfair prevailed. It is still the sole playoff loss for Woods on the PGA Tour.

Even after two decades, Mayfair still considers his victory over the greatest of all time to be an amazing honor, “To still be asked, even after 25 years, it’s an honor,” Mayfair told the Des Moines Register. “It really is. Tiger is, if not the best player, one of the best players in the world. It was more gratifying to me because it was in (Los Angeles), on a home golf course that he’d grown up on.”

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Everyone on the course, according to Mayfair, expected Woods to win, but his golfing prowess paid off for him. Mayfair was also praised by Woods himself, who claimed that he could not frighten him. “I think everyone just kind of expected him to win. But I was playing good that week. Tiger made a comment to me once, that I’m the only one he can’t intimidate. So, that was a really nice gesture on his part,” said the 56-year-old golfer.

Billy Mayfair talks in detail about his diagnosis

Mayfair had a difficult year in 2019 because that was the year he was diagnosed to be on the spectrum for autism. His wife was the one who initially observed the symptoms in him. She made sure to accompany him to the doctor, even though he was hesitant to get himself evaluated. “She felt that I needed to be tested, and I was fighting against it all the way. But I’m glad I did finally. … And I wasn’t surprised by the diagnosis,” said Mayfair.

The golfer accepted his condition in full and now feels that it has improved him as a player.“I know it’s helped my game, and it explains why sometimes I am that athlete that can really focus better than other people and other golfers did,” Mayfair said.

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What do you think about Mayfair’s victory over Tiger Woods? Let us know in the comments below.