Winningest PGA Season in 50 Years for Woods

ByABC News
September 10, 2000, 7:02 PM

O A K V I L L E, Ontario, Sept. 10 -- Tiger steals the show and makes history once again.

Tiger Woods wrapped up his remarkablesummer by winning the Canadian Open by one stroke over Grant Waite today. The victory gave him the winningest season on the PGA Tour in 50 years.

Woods got the victory in style with a 6-iron from a fairwaybunker, over the water and right at the flag. He chipped from theback of the green to a foot and tapped in for birdie to close out a7-under-par 65 and his fifth victory in seven tournaments.

Woods finished at 266, the lowest 72-hole score in tournaments22-year history at Glen Abbey Golf Club.

String of Wins

It was his fifth victory in seven tournaments this summer. Three of those wins were majors, and the British Open gave him the career Grand Slam and several scoring feats.

Woods won for the third straight time, and for the ninth timethis year, the most PGA Tour victories in one year since Sam Sneadwon 11 times in 1950. He earned $594,000, giving him more money inhis last 38 tournaments $14.9 million than anyone else in theircareer.

And Woods can now add the Triple Crown to the Grand Slam hecompleted by winning the British Open at St. Andrews. He became theonly other player besides Lee Trevino in 1971 to win the U.S. Open,British Open and Canadian Open in the same year.

Those are the three oldest national championships in golf, allof them conquered by a 24-year-old who knows no limits.

Nearly Flawless

He was nearly flawless today, and he had to be. Waite, arunner-up for the second straight week in Canada, matched himstroke-for-stroke and put the pressure on with a 4-iron into thepar-5 18th green that left him a 20-foot eagle attempt that couldhave forced a playoff or perhaps snatched a victory away fromWoods.

Woods went right at the flag, the ball landed about 18 feetbehind the hole. Waite missed his eagle try and had to settle for a66 and one stroke short of winning, just like he was in Vancouverlast week.