It was 1996, just a year before the 15-time major championship winner clinched his first Masters. The golfer had teed off at the Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tennessee. That event was a true rollercoaster ride, and Tiger Woods might agree! The now 48-year-old faltered on the final day despite a dominant display of golf during the first three rounds at the 1996 NCAA Men’s Golf Championship.

Surprising? Yes. Iconic? Maybe! Regardless, the memory remains fresh in many people’s minds, especially Michael Kim, who shared a scoreboard of the event on his X handle. The PGA Tour pro posted a tweet of the same while wondering how Woods failed to impress in the finale, “How hard did it play during the last round at Honors course?”

During the first three rounds, the 7,450-yard layout seemed easy for the future legend. If everything had gone smoothly, the Cardinal would have secured another title while Woods carded a course record with a 67 in the second round. But fate had other plans, as the Honors Course bared its teeth at Tiger Woods in the final round.

The golfer struggled, shooting a double bogey at the ninth after driving a ball into the water. Did the nightmare end there? Woods would have certainly wished so, but nothing of the sort happened. He continued to dish out four straight bogeys and finished at 8-over, despite starting the fourth day with a nine-stroke lead over Arizona’s Rory Sabbatini.

“It doesn’t feel like I shot 80,” said a surprised and young Tiger Woods back then. “I mean, it’s not like I gave up and shot an 80,” expressed the golfer as he continued, “I really dug deep, and I am pleased with the result.” Although he ended up with figures of 69-67-69-80-285(-3), the Cardinals failed to capitalize and finished fourth in the team championship. However, Woods clinched the NCAA Men’s Golf Championship title, after which he would claim his first-ever major title a year later.

Tiger Woods wins the 1997 Masters Tournament

A year after his NCAA Men’s Golf Championship win, the golfer managed to enter the field for the major tournament at Augusta National. He teed off after qualifying through the three PGA Tour wins he had racked up in the previous season, including the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational, the Walt Disney World, and the 1997 Mercedes Championship.

The result? Scintillating, to say the least, as the golfer ended up winning the event by a 12-stroke lead. Woods posted an 18-under 270 with scores of 70-66-65-69 over the four days of play. Now let’s ask the questions again. Surprising? Yes! Iconic? 100%, as that was just the starting point for an illustrious career boasting 15 major wins! Although the athlete is currently struggling with his form following surgery and health concerns, the 28-year professional career he boasts is anything but poor!