The 2001 Masters Tournament marked a defining moment in Tiger Woods‘ rivalry with Phil Mickelson, so how exactly did the golfing great destroy his rival in seven words as he sealed the Tiger Slam?
On April 8, 2001, Woods didn’t just outplay Mickelson on the course; he outmaneuvered him mentally with a seven-word line that, according to his caddie, “broke” the notoriously competitive lefty.
Mickelson had built a reputation as one of golf’s most skilled trash-talkers and used the practice rounds for high-stakes wagers and psychological warfare often aimed at younger pros, but he finally met his match.
Their personal rivalry had been simmering beneath the surface ever since 1998 when Mickelson mocked Woods after winning a $500 practice round bet as Phil left a bundle of photocopied $100 bills in Tiger’s locker.
But how he struck back was impressive as an embarrassed Woods arrived at Augusta National under immense pressure, seeking to win his fourth consecutive major and get one over his adversary.
Which he did so during a final-round showdown as Steve Williams, Tiger‘s longtime caddie, shed light on the situation and Woods‘ brutal seven-word silencing of Mickelson as he secured his place in golf history.
“Tiger had been practicing the shot all year for the 13th hole… he hated the 13th hole,” Williams explained to The Yardage Book NZ podcast. “He was practicing this massive sweeping hook… he practiced it every single day.”
Yet, despite his preparation, Woods had resisted using the shot during the first three rounds. That changed on Sunday when he was standing on the 13th tee as Tiger turned to Steve and decided to go all-in.
Mickelson teed off first, sending a perfectly placed drive around the dogleg-arguably one of his best of the day. Then came Woods, gripping his 3-wood. He unleashed the sweeping hook he had rehearsed countless times, sending the ball soaring past Mickelson‘s drive by over thirty yards.
“I could sort of sense that Mickelson was feeling a bit dejected,” Steve continued. “He’s just hit the best drive that he can, and then Tiger‘s hit a 3-wood and whipped it by him.
‘Do you always hit a 3-wood that far,” Williams added, paraphrasing Mickelson and queuing the stage for Woods‘ brutal putdown of his foe as Tiger said, “‘Next time take the headcover off it.'”
The crowd’s laughter confirmed the moment’s magnitude. In a sport where decorum typically overrides confrontation, Woods’ blunt jab was rare-and devastating. Williams later described it as “one of the best lines I’ve ever heard.”
“That broke him,” Steve concluded. “Phil played the remaining five holes in even par while Tiger pulled away to win by two shots over David Duval and three over Mickelson.”
When is the next golf major in 2025?
The final major of the 2025 men’s golf season, The British Open Championship, will take place from July 17 to 20 at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland.
As the last of the year’s four majors, it marks a key moment on the golf calendar, attracting the sport’s top talent.
Rory McIlroy returns to his home nation after capturing his first Green Jacket at The Masters in April, before Scottie Scheffler managed to land the PGA Championship in May and J.J. Spaun won the U.S. Open in June – in a remarkable underdog story.
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