Pro golf-
Tiger Woods showed glimpses of his greatness in the first chapters of his pro career–
“Potential is one thing. Performance is another.”
The following written content by Dave Shedloski
It didn’t take long for Tiger Woods to go from his famous “Hello World” salutation upon turning professional to shocking the world to beating it.
A matter of weeks was all that Woods needed in the fall of 1996 to prove that his decision to leave the amateur ranks after a record three straight U.S. Amateur titles—and an unprecedented run of six consecutive USGA victories—not only was the right one, but also that he was more than equipped to start taking over the sport. Expectations were astronomically high and yet, somehow, Woods surpassed them, ushering in a new era of domination.
It’s not uncommon to think that Woods’s astonishing 12-stroke triumph in the 1997 Masters was the signal moment of his arrival. It was a victory so complete and mesmerizing and absolute that the accomplishments that followed—the 15-stroke U.S. Open win in 2000, the Tiger Slam in 2001, the 683 weeks atop the World Ranking, the 82 PGA Tour wins, etc.—seemed like a fait accompli, unalterable.
But prior to all of his greater achievements was a seven-tournament run at the outset of his professional career that was unprecedented and, yes, even unexpected. Sure, the potential was unmistakable. No one could deny that. And Titleist and Nike anted up an estimated $60 million in endorsements before his first tee shot at the Greater Milwaukee Open on Aug. 29, 1996.
Potential is one thing. Performance is another. Woods, who formally announced he was turning pro on Wednesday, Aug. 28, in a room inundated by national media, still had to prove himself. Not yet 21, he had to prove that he could handle the physical and mental rigors of competing week in and week out against the game’s best players. He had to prove he could handle different courses and setups with only days to prepare. Read more from Golf Digest.
