5. 18th hole, Augusta National Golf Club
Playoff in 2005 Masters
This Masters will forever be known for the impossible chip seen round the golf world, when Woods clipped the ball perfectly from below the left back portion of the 16th green, the ball traveling up a severe ridge, then making a right-hand turn onto a descending avenue heading toward the cup. As Woods and his caddie, Steve Williams, moved into a better viewing position, the ball leisurely headed toward the hole before the Nike swoosh hung on the edge for 1.8 seconds before heading south and setting off a celebration for the ages.
The birdie gave Woods a 2-stroke lead over Chris DiMarco. Then Woods said he started “throwing up all over the place,” as he made two bogeys to squander his lead. Instead of heading for the ceremony to slip on another green jacket, Woods headed to the 18th tee for a playoff.
Staggered, Woods immediately righted himself and delivered three flawless shots – a 3-wood into the fairway, an 8-iron right over the flagstick, and a pure downhill, slightly breaking 18-foot putt that earned him his fourth green jacket and triggered a thunderous fist pump and roar from the man in red.
“I kept telling myself, even though I messed up and I lost a chance to win it outright on the last two holes of regulation, I said, ‘It doesn’t matter, because I’ve still got a chance to win in the playoff,’” Woods said as he moved halfway to Jack Nicklaus’ record major haul with his ninth major and first in 34 months. “And I kept telling myself going back to the tee on 18 that I’ve still got a chance to win in a playoff. And I hit two sweet shots. That 8-iron I hit was absolutely phenomenal, right on top of the flag, and then I holed the putt.”
Editor’s note: To see Nos. 10, 9 and 8 on the list, click here. Coming up: Nos. 4, 3 and 2 on the list. Here are some hints: The next set of memorable putts took place at the Presidents Cup, the Players Championship and the U.S. Open.