The 1997 Masters: My Story

by Tiger Woods, Lorne Rubenstein (With)

Overview

To mark the anniversary of his historic win at the 1997 Masters, Tiger Woods will for the first time reflect on the record-setting win both on and off the course.

In 1997, Tiger Woods was already among the most-watched and closely examined athletes in history. But it wasn't until the Masters Tournament that his career would definitively change forever. Woods, then only 21, won the Masters by a historic 12 shots, which remains the widest margin of victory in the tournament's history, making it an iconic moment for him and sports.
Now, Woods is ready to explore his history with the game, how it has changed over the years, and what it was like winning such an important event. With never-before-heard stories, this book will provide keen insight from one of the game's all-time greats.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781455543588
Publisher:	Grand Central Publishing
Publication date:	03/20/2017
Pages:	256
Sales rank:	574,684
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.10(h) x 1.10(d)

About the Author

Tiger Woods has had an unprecedented career since becoming a professional golfer in the late summer of 1996. He has won 105 tournaments, 79 of those on the PGA TOUR, including the 1997, 2001, 2002, and 2005 Masters Tournaments, 1999, 2000, 2006, and 2007 PGA Championships, 2000, 2002, and 2008 U.S. Open Championships, and 2000, 2005, and 2006 British Open Championships. With his second Masters victory in 2001, Tiger became the first ever to hold all four professional major championships at the same time. In winning the 2000 British Open at St. Andrews, Woods became the youngest to complete the career Grand Slam of professional major championships and only the fifth ever to do so. Tiger also was the youngest Masters champion ever, at the age of 21 years, three months and 14 days, and was the first African-American or individual of Asian heritage to win a major championship.

Lorne Rubenstein has written 13 books while contributing to magazines around the world. In 2018, he received the PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. He lives in Toronto, Ontario.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 Turning It Around 1

Chapter 2 Amateur Days at the Masters 13

Chapter 3 Monday April 7, 1997 49

Chapter 4 Tuesday April 8, 1997 71

Chapter 5 Wednesday April 9, 1997 83

Chapter 6 Thursday, April 10, 1997 95

Chapter 7 Friday April 11, 1997 109

Chapter 8 Saturday April 12, 1997 123

Chapter 9 Sunday April 13, 1997 135

Chapter 10 Aftermath 167

Chapter 11 Augusta National's Changes Since 1997 183

Postscript 217

Acknowledgments 229

Index 231

About the Authors 243

Editorial Reviews

02/06/2017
Golf star Woods recalls the start of his landmark career on the 20th anniversary of his mythic 1997 Masters win, which came only a year after his professional debut. The golfer, partnered with veteran journalist Rubenstein (Moe & Me), takes a low-key approach to his meteoric rise, careful to avoid any controversy. He recounts his departure from Stanford after his sophomore year, his impressive record as a golf junior and amateur, and his PGA tour qualification before his first Masters. Woods’s father, Earl, taught him a love of golf and competition, and the then-21-year-old rookie got practice time with some of the old guard, such as Ray Floyd, Fred Couples, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, the latter of whom he admires for “his go-for-broke attitude.” He reluctantly addresses race by linking his father’s blackness and his mother’s Thai roots with a concocted term, “Cablinasian,” never thinking of himself as African-American. His peerless, strategic analysis of the Augusta National’s Masters course shows why the golfer has won 105 tournaments, including U.S. Opens, British Opens, PGA Championships, and Masters tournaments. Sparking yet another comeback into golf’s limelight, Woods writes with absorbing focus and profound emotion on two of his favorite subjects: golf and himself. (Mar.)

Publishers Weekly

"[Woods's] memories of what happened that now-long-ago April in Augusta... will resonate with anyone who follows golf and especially with everyone who was riveted to their televisions as this brash, incredibly talented young man dismantled the cathedral of golf."—Booklist (starred review)

"Provides a rare perspective of golf played at the highest level."—Kirkus

"Woods writes with absorbing focus and profound emotion."—Publisher's Weekly

"THE 1997 MASTERS is a vivid and ultimately satisfying read about a singular event in American sports."—BookPage

"For as methodical as Woods tells his story-his recall of every shot and situation is all as if it were 20 minutes ago, not 20 years-it is often as vivid on the printed page as it was in person."—GolfDigest

"Readers get to go behind the scenes and on the golf course with compelling stories and anecdotes from that fateful April week at Augusta two decades ago. That's not all. Intertwined throughout are shared opinions from Woods on an array of topics and issues, most golf related, some personal and societal based, but all presented with candour and intrigue. Such is the riveting nature of arguably the world's most recognizable athlete."—ScoreGolf

From the Publisher

02/15/2017
This memoir by legendary golfer Woods and coauthor Rubenstein (Moe and Me) goes well beyond the play-by-play at the 1997 Masters competition. While the narrative covers tournament play, it also gives a backdrop on Woods's path to the Masters, who influenced him, and how he views the event in retrospect. Take away the glamor and shine, and it was tough to be Woods. He faced obstacles such as racism, a speech impediment, physical injuries, and no real blueprint to follow for forging ahead after experiencing sudden fame and media scrutiny. What Woods did have was a way to learn from Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and a host of PGA professionals. While this may be considered a memoir, it more closely resembles an apologia. Two decades later, Woods acknowledges his parents and the many friends, competitors, and coaches who helped him along the way. Of note, he openly thanks caddy Mike Cowan and instructor Butch Harmon, who are no longer closely associated with him but who played a large part in his success. VERDICT A must-read for those who think they know Woods.—Steven Silkunas, Fernandina Beach, FL

Library Journal

2017-01-24
An in-depth, inside look at the legendary golfer's historic 1997 Masters win.Besides reliving his eventful week at Augusta National as a much-hyped 21-year-old, the usually secretive Woods (How I Play Golf, 2001), with co-author Rubenstein, reveals a great deal about himself, his family, his coaches, and his thinking as he prepared to hit key shots during his four, pressure-filled championship rounds. Thanks to prestigious amateur wins prior to 1997, Woods had already played in the tournament twice. He recounts playing practice rounds with past Masters winners like Nick Faldo, Fred Couples, and Raymond Floyd, during which he consistently asked questions about how to play the course. They provided valuable advice, especially regarding how to negotiate the course's treacherous greens using the old balata golf ball. Woods also realized that he would need to be able to swing at less than full speed, hit the ball down, and take spin off it when needed. He then goes into great detail describing his three practice days before the tournament started, working on specific shots, understanding where to place tee shots, dealing with the media, and playing in the delightful par-3 tournament. When Thursday's play arrived, Woods was shocked: "I would never have realized that I would shoot 40 on the front nine of the first round." His back swing had gotten too long. Just before starting the back nine, Fluff Cowan, his caddie, helped calm him down. Woods shot 30 on the back nine, two under for the day. His final winning score of 270 and his margin of victory—12 strokes—were new tournament records. The author's meticulous recounting of those next three days—the shots hit, the challenges met, the emotions felt—provides a rare perspective of golf played at the highest level. An astonishing story of accomplishment that would have been invigorated by more lively, animated prose.

Kirkus Reviews