Video: Tiger's Incredible 16th Hole Chip-In, 2012 Memorial
Until the PGA Tour puts up a clean copy, a fan capture **8:33 ET Tiger's shot from the CBS telecast of the 2012 Memorial goes live on YouTube:
Geoff
**So where does this one rank with these shots?
Geoff
**Great stuff from Tiger and Jack after the round, talking about the shot on 16:
Q. Mr.Nicklaus mentioned out on the green during closing ceremonies he's never seen a better shot than your chip‑in on 16. Take us through that.
TIGER WOODS: The shot was really difficult, but it wouldn't have been so bad if I had a good lie. If the lie was decent, it would not have brought water into play. That was the thing. The lie was just a little bit marginal where it brought water into play. That's one of the reasons why I took such a big cut at it is to try to under cut it enough so if I missed it I missed it short and if it had enough speed it wouldn't snag it and tug it long left, so obviously the hosel wouldn't have been snagged by the grass.
I went for it. I pulled it off, and for it to land as soft as it did was kind of a surprise because it was baked out and it was also downhill running away from me. It just fell in. I didn't think it was going to get there at one point. Kind of like 16 at Augusta, I thought I was going to leave it short somehow, and then it fell in.
Q. Where does that rank amongst some of your best shots, whether it be the 16th at Augusta or maybe when you holed out at Hoylake, or I don't know where you would put that one.
TIGER WOODS: It was one of the hardest ones I've pulled off. I think probably the hardest pitch not too many people saw was the one in Japan in the World Cup to get into the playoff. But obviously you guys never saw it. (Laughter.)
That was a pretty sweet shot.
But this one was a good one. As I said, it wouldn't have been so bad if the lie was better. But as I said, the lie was sketchy enough where it brought water into play.
CHRIS REIMER: Mr.Nicklaus, I know you congratulated Tiger out at closing ceremonies and you mentioned 16. Some opening comments from you?
JACK NICKLAUS: I think that‑‑ I just said out here a couple times, that under the circumstances, the circumstances being Tiger has been struggling, he found himself in a position in a tournament, and it was either fish or cut bait, he had one place to land the ball, he's playing a shot that if he leaves it short, he's going to leave himself again a very difficult shot, if he hits it long, he's going to probably lose the tournament. He lands the ball exactly where it has to land. It doesn't make a difference whether it went in the hole or not. Going in the hole was a bonus. But what a shot. I don't think under the circumstances I've ever seen a better shot.
Reader Comments (49)
How boring would golf be without some fist pumps and getting excited when you make an extraordinary shot?
I do lean more toward Ian's POV, but nothing is gonna change.
Golf went w/o all that for centuries, and did fine, but it is only my opinion, and I really don't care all that much, just closing down the laptop, and got a last post or 2 in.
That sounds like pure ....hatred......by another name..
It's time to get over it.
Still would have preferred Rory or Levin, but knew that a fools errand.
Irwin was a joyyyy
Wow
The fist pumps are one thing but the "F___ Yeah" seems over the top. Not sure if he did it on this shot but it seems like he was yelling something. He must really care about winning. You know, I let out a few F-bombs occasionaly but it's always over lousy shots. When I hit a good one I usually just say "get in get in" or "what was that?" If I made that shot to swing a tournament my way I'd probably lose it.
Jack himself called it the greatest shot he's ever seen, short he has worse problems, long he loses the tournament, bears down and gets it done...very very rare for anyone to have that kind of mental/physical control...Jack knows and respects this...he said so in the post interview...
focusing/complaining about fist pumps, etc...in my mind...you do not understand probability/difficulty of the shot... ie - i don't care if he does somersaults, sparks fly out his ears....if he makes the shot...that's all im focused on...my awareness of difficulty allows me to overlook annoying things that happen around the shot...i've been around pro golf enough to realize how special shots like this are
i appreciate that internet anonymity gives these folks the opportunity to let their jealousy/freak flags fly...
rofl...gg tiger
"other place" 16th hole?
No matter what, some will dislike him.
Earned, but pretty silly sometimes
Well, I am 125 miles away from my last visit here, and ready to sack out, but it is always fun to visit the Shackelonians.
Watson and Irwin were different and the same (as Woods): a great deal of (earned) emotion, and a strong physical release (that's a setup if I ever heard one :))
I have slapped praise on TW, and I truly was amazed at ''the shot''. Hey it was awesome!
I find the difference(of the celebration) is generational; TW and HI were not ''in your face'' like TW's, and look, I think that is the difference in the manner of celebration ''then'', and ''now''- nothing more or less.
I'll say it: anyone who wants to brand me as a hater or bigot is simply full of shit. And I will say that to your face.
Pleasant dreams.
.
28 years ago this year.
Just thought I'd mention that since now that TW has won it appears it's the "Tiger's fistpumps are too much" VS "Tiger's the man/just showing emotion" crowds.
I for one don't care what a player does after a successful shot (or poor shot for that matter) just as long as they don't delay/distract from the game itself.
Jack seemed fine with Tiger's celebration. Good enough for me.
I find it amusing that it was OK for Seve and others, but not Woods. Double standards? Or just a dislike for anything Woods?
As for the behavior that Dave laments above, vulgarity takes many forms. Excessive volume is one form. Excessive public displays of emotion are another. Obviously, our sentimentalist age is shamelessly vulgar. Nevertheless, like you, I too reject the vulgarity of excessive displays of emotion in public - whether they be from Tiger Woods or anyone else. But the mob, especially today's media processeed mob, demands every manner of vulgarity. And as you can see on this page, the mob will stampede you if you stand in its way.
Y, most people would just tip their cap and smile. HAHA OK
i am psyched at the prospect of a revitalized t woods at the us open. i won't be rooting for him, but a hard-fought battle down to the last few holes with tiger in the mix will make the inevitable mcilroy victory all that much sweeter. . . .
It was an incredible shot, period, and Alphonsus Jr surely needs a good specialist (either in ophthalmology or in psychology).
By the way, to all TW's haters: this year, the man that would never win again and blah, blah, blah won the Palmer's and the Nicklaus' tournaments.
Isn't ironic?!
tiger is not my guy, but big tournaments are definitely more interesting when he is in the mix down the stretch. who knows? maybe this is the signal that he's all the way back and ready to start racking up some more majors? that would be a great story fer sher.