The game of golf witnessed a dramatic and historic moment today when Y.E. Yang of South Korea sank his birdie putt on the 18th green of Hazeltine National Golf Club and sealed his victory at the 2009 PGA Championship.
In winning his first major title, Yang also became the first Asian-born golfer ever to win one of golf's four majors.
It was an amazing achievement, and yet in the aftermath the milestone most likely to be highlighted by the media will focus on the man that he beat. Yang started the day two strokes back of the 54-hole leader, Tiger Woods, golf's most fearsome closer. In surpassing Tiger to take the title, Yang became the first golfer to beat Woods at a major when Woods held at least a share of the lead after 54 holes.
He managed that almost unthinkable feat by playing steady, unflappable golf and pulling off some huge shots in big moments on a day when Tiger's putter failed him over and over again. The turning point of the round came at the par-4 14th hole with Yang and Woods deadlocked at 6 under par. After Tiger chipped out of the bunker and left himself with a 12-foot putt for birdie, Yang chipped in from the fringe for eagle to take the lead at 8 under. Tiger answered by holing his birdie putt to go to 7 under, but for the first time in the tournament, his name was no longer atop the leaderboard.
And because of Yang's steely play over the final four holes, Tiger never would regain the lead. After both players parred the 15th and 16th holes, and then traded bogeys on the 17th, Yang brought back memories of Shaun Micheel's famous iron shot on the 72nd hole of the 2003 PGA Championship, sending his approach right over the pin and giving himself a nine-foot putt for birdie.
As it turned out, that all but sealed the deal, as Tiger lofted his second shot on 18 into the first cut just off the green. He took direct aim at the cup with his chip-out and sent it well past the hole, leaving Yang to finish the job in the fashion of a true champion, nailing his birdie putt for the victory, no doubt sending all of South Korea into one hell of a party by doing so.
To put it mildly, Tiger will not be partying tonight. Fourteen times previously he'd gone into the final round of a major with the lead, and 14 times he'd walked away with the title. Sunday might have been no different were it not for the fact that he simply could not buy himself a big putt when he needed one. The first image one will remember of the final round will be of Yang's eagle chip at 14, but the second unquestionably will be a montage of Tiger's missed putts, pushed an inch left or an inch right or curling up just short of the hole, provoking yet another helpless outburst from a man accustomed to roars of triumph on the back nines of big tournaments.
Many a golfer has given Tiger a run for his money before at majors, and some of them have been unlikely foes – Bob May at the 2000 PGA, Chris DiMarco at the 2005 Masters, and of course, Woods' playoff partner at the 2008 U.S. Open, Rocco Mediate. But it goes without saying that Y.E. Yang is by far the unlikeliest of the bunch.
Ranked 110th in the world, Yang becomes the third lowest-ranked golfer to win a major, and given the fact that he overcame Tiger Woods to do it, you'd have to class his victory as an upset to go alongside the likes of Buster Douglas beating Mike Tyson. Going into the round, there were many scenarios one might have envisioned, but for this writer at least, Y.E. Yang holding steady to the end and getting the better of Tiger wasn't among the top 10.
A far more predictable outcome would have been a duel between Tiger and 2008 PGA champion Padraig Harrington, who at 6 under par started the day, like Yang, just two strokes back of Woods on the leaderboard. But
Harrington suffered a disaster of almost unimaginable proportions for a professional golfer at the par-3 eighth, putting his ball in the water twice during the course of shooting a
quintuple bogey eight that immediately catapulted him out of contention.
For Harrington, it was an eerie flashback to a week ago when, playing in the final group with Tiger at the Bridgestone Invitational, he took an eight on the par-5 16th to end what to that point had been an exciting duel with Woods.
With Harrington out of the running today, one might have expected a similar result -- Tiger waltzing to the finish line and picking up the Wanamaker Trophy for the fifth time and his 15th major title overall. But his determined and seemingly nerveless South Korean playing partner had other ideas.
On a day when Woods, if only for the moment, was uncharacteristically mortal, Yang ascended to golf immortality, becoming the first Asian-born major champion, and doing it by staring down one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.
16 comments
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Comments
Like all great winning streaks (i.e. UCLA’s 88 consecutive wins); Tiger’s streak of winning a major after leading for 54-holes was bound to come to an end, and it did today.
by Hoosier Coach on Aug 16, 2009 8:57 PM EDT reply actions
Given the level of competition week in and week out, it is amazing Tiger had such a streak. Look at all the variables that can affect your play on the course. We may never see another streak such as this again from a PGA player. Tiger is still head and shoulders above everyone else and is on pace to pass Jack for major wins and total PGA wins. Remember, Jack won his last major at age 46, Tiger is only 33! 13 years to get 6 more…hmmm where is your wallet??!!
by MDNEteamsfan on Aug 16, 2009 9:13 PM EDT reply actions
I’d like to leave a comment mirroring the sentiment of the article rather than those who prefer to s*ck Tiger c*ck: Yang played with steel and his game proved him the better player. Tiger went his sissy way, cursing, belly-aching, complaining in his spoiled little way. Yang even ignored all Tiger’s attempts at crowding the greens and trying to distract Yang. Tiger proves again he is the Dyspeptic, Pot-Bellied White Man’s Hero.
by ChinaDan on Aug 16, 2009 10:03 PM EDT reply actions
I’m not much for watching golf, but I was almost glued to the tube through the last 5 holes. Yang looked cool, calm and collected while Tiger looked like he was floundering. Woods’ putter was no friend to him today. Congrats to Yang on a round well played – he certainly deserves to bask in this juicy victory.
ps.
Hoosier and everyone else, please learn the difference between "i.e." and "e.g." and when to use one or the other.
by wil_dew on Aug 16, 2009 10:39 PM EDT reply actions
Yang never waffered,he was steady,confident and he finished! Most players fold under the pressure of playing with Tiger on Sunday.Congrats to Yang,he played very poised.
by PEDALTOTHEMETALONE on Aug 16, 2009 10:50 PM EDT reply actions
Yang never waffered,he was steady,confident and he finished! Most players fold under the pressure of playing with Tiger on Sunday.Congrats to Yang,he played very poised.
by PEDALTOTHEMETALONE on Aug 16, 2009 10:50 PM EDT reply actions
MDNE, hate to burst your bubble, but Woods is showing some cracks in his armor. Sure he’s only 33, but he’s coming off major knee surgery. I don’t think he’ll last long enough to pass Jack.
by JDW31158 on Aug 17, 2009 12:27 AM EDT reply actions
I predicted earlier this year that Tiger wasn’t going to win a major this season…not because his game has all of a sudden gone South. Whether it is conscious or not, coming back from a severe knee injury takes more than a year…and the last, most difficult part of the comeback is the psychological part. Something is still just a little bit off. Yes, Tiger has won some tournaments this year, but he has just not been consistent…at least not by Tiger’s standards.
Next year will be a different story, however. He’ll win at least two majors…maybe three.
I don’t want to take anything away from Yang, however. He played great under pressure. Tiger doesn’t intimidate him…and won’t from now on. I was glued to my TV set and watched the final day of the PGA. That was the most drama and excitement I have ever seen in a professional golf tournament. The fact that Yang is the first professional golfer of Asian descent to win a major is great for golf and is going to big a big boost for the game all throughout Asia.
Congrats to Yang.
by BradKT on Aug 17, 2009 3:26 AM EDT reply actions
Considering how things went at the majors this year, was it really any surprise that Yang would win ;-) And while I am Asian and sincerely applaud Yang’s come from behind triumph, my award for most excitement and drama in a sporting event (golf or otherwise) has to go to Tom Watson for the run he made in this year’s British Open. While he didn’t seal the deal, his efforts at reviving lost glory hopefully earned him a perpetual invitation from the R&A because I, for one, would continually follow his exploits in the Open over any other player’s (yup, even over Tiger’s).
by pinche rio on Aug 17, 2009 6:25 AM EDT reply actions
finally someone didn’t wilt under Tigers star status. He’s the greatest golfer on the planet but I’m sick and tired of ALL Tiger from soap opera espn., the golf channel and every other venue.
Yeah, I kmow, you all think it’s all about the money and probley is, that’s what is so sad though.
by grinunbearit on Aug 17, 2009 7:36 AM EDT reply actions
I think this is great for golf. No one saw this coming. Tiger loving CBS announcers didn’t give Yang a chance.
I enjoyed watching the underdog knock off golf’s golden boy.
Plus, does Jim Nantz’s "sappy" announcing style rub anyone else? The Y-E-S comment after Yang sank the birdie on 18 sounded so staged.
by trury on Aug 17, 2009 8:24 AM EDT reply actions
An all Asian final at a golf major and Tiger lossed, which is great for growing the game in Asia. You know that if this was another African-American player the media would be going nuts with the story. I love how the media doesn’t give all minorities their fair shake. Its always a black and white issue. As Tiger is black in the media and not multiracial, never mentioning he is half Asian. Sorry for bringing up the race issue, but it annoys me sometimes.
by ElChicano on Aug 17, 2009 9:31 AM EDT reply actions
You know Nantz was up all night working on that corny "Y..E…S!!!" line. He should have gone all the way and immediately said that Tiger is the owner of a lonely heart because all his putts go roundabout the cup. Ride that YES horse into the ground, Jim!
by ChiAdam on Aug 17, 2009 11:12 AM EDT reply actions
Great golf I’m happy for Yang he played an amazing round of golf. The media in general is very biased toward Tiger. This web sight was saying it was all but over yesterday. A few racial comments in this blog, very disheartening. I’m a white person all I saw was two golfers playing a great round of golf. Congratulations Yang!!
by D.J. Sappenfield on Aug 17, 2009 11:15 AM EDT reply actions
ChiAdam, YES! Funny stuff. You might say Tiger’s putting on Sunday was less in the cup – and more Close to the Edge …(Okay, okay, enough.)
by michaelgmitchell on Aug 17, 2009 6:09 PM EDT reply actions
by michaelgmitchell on Aug 17, 2009 6:12 PM EDT reply actions
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