Throwback Thursday: Tiger destroys smack-talking Ames
A tale from the 2006 World Match Play where Tiger Woods made Stephen Ames well and truly eat his words.
The Background
This story starts in 2000 when Stephen Ames said of Tiger Woods:
He doesn’t look like he has enough respect for other players. Tiger’s coming across as bigger than the game.
He’s a spoiled 24-year-old. If I was in his position I’d be more considerate. If I was beating the spit out of [other players], I wouldn’t have to beat them in that way too. He made $11 million [in 1999], endorsed more than $50 million – what’s he got to be unhappy about?
Fast forward to the 2006 WGC Match Play and Ames is running his mouth again:
Anything can happen, especially where he’s hitting the ball.
Sure, Woods had been struggling with his driver, but he had still won the Buick Invitational just a month earlier.
The Scene
Woods set off in lightning fashion with six straight opening birdies winning every hole on the front nine. Ames managed to muster a par on the 10th which matched Tiger but saw him fall to a resounding defeat.
The 9&8 victory set the record for the largest win at the Match Play.
Tiger Woods’ 2006 9&8 win at Match Play over Stephen Ames https://t.co/KlB39aNUZB
— Skratch (@Skratch) March 20, 2018
When questioned about whether Ames’ words had motivated Woods, he replied with three words:
Nine and eight.
You know what they say: A Tiger never forgets.
Tom Irwin
Tom is a lifetime golfer, now over 30 years playing the game. 2023 marks 10 years in golf publishing and he is still holding down a + handicap at Alwoodley in Leeds. He has played over 600 golf courses, and has been a member of at least four including his first love Louth, in Lincolnshire. Tom likes unbranded clothing, natural fibres, and pencil bags. Seacroft in Lincolnshire is where it starts and ends.
