9 days until golf: Tiger's famous blowout of Stephen Ames
The PGA Tour plans to restart its season June 11 after halting due to the coronavirus pandemic. Each day until then, we'll highlight key moments, people, or facts relating to where we are in the countdown.
Poor Stephen Ames.
The Canadian learned a tough lesson in 2006 during the WGC Match Play. He felt confident going up against Tiger Woods in the first round and spoke publicly about his chances.
"Anything can happen, especially where's he's hitting the ball," Ames said.
In Michael Jordan-like fashion, Woods used Ames' criticism as motivation and delivered the worst thrashing in match-play history. Tiger made six straight birdies to open the match and won every hole on the front nine en route to a 9-and-8 drubbing of Ames.
"I think he understands now," Tiger said after the win.
Despite winning nine of the 10 holes played, Woods really wanted the sweep.
“You have no idea how ticked I was that I missed that putt on the 10th hole to beat him 10 and 8,” Woods said, according to Golfweek's Kevin Casey.
The term "Ames'd" was coined that day, and it's now used in any blowout scenario during match play.
HEADLINES
- Justin Thomas wins RBC Heritage for 1st PGA TOUR victory since 2022
- Higgo takes advantage of Dahmen's late meltdown to win in Dominican Republic
- Jay Sigel, considered America's best amateur since Bobby Jones, dies at 81
- Si Woo Kim leads by 1 at Hilton Head with Justin Thomas lurking
- Dahmen takes 3-shot lead into final round in the Dominican Republic