The 1997 Masters : my story

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.

Author Notes

On April 8, 2001, Tiger Woods won The Masters & became the first golfer in history to hold all four of golf's major trophies at one time. He won the U. S. Open, British Open & PGA Championship in 2000. He is the youngest player ever to complete the career Grand Slam of professional major championships and the fifth to ever do so. He has won over 30 tournaments & is the career victories leader among active players on the PGA Tour. He lives in Orlando, Florida.

(Bowker Author Biography)

Reviews (4)

Publisher's Weekly Review

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.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

Kirkus Review

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 victory12 strokeswere new tournament records. The author's meticulous recounting of those next three daysthe shots hit, the challenges met, the emotions feltprovides 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. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Booklist Review

*Starred Review* For several years, news stories about Tiger Woods have focused on scandal, injuries, and aborted comebacks, making it too easy to lose track of just what a landmark career the golfer has carved for himself over the last 25 years. This memoir, coauthored with the talented golf journalist Lorne Rubenstein (A Season in Dornoch, 2001), arrives at just the right time, on the twentieth anniversary of Woods' stunning victory in the 1997 Masters. At the ripe age of 21, Woods became the first golfer of color to win the revered championship albeit one with a problematic history of exclusion and he did it with exclamation points: the lowest score in Masters history (270) and the largest margin of victory (12 strokes). Woods brackets his account of the tournament with a brief review of his life on and off the course up to spring 1997 and beyond, but it is his memories of what happened that now-long-ago April in Augusta that 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. When Tiger's last putt a tricky, curling five-footer landed in the bottom of the cup, it wasn't just the young champion and his ailing father who had tears in their eyes. Most of us at home did, too, and this trip down golf's memory lane may well leave us in the same state.--Ott, Bill Copyright 2017 Booklist

Library Journal Review

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 © Copyright 2017. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

Chapter 1 Turning It Around	p. 1
Chapter 2 Amateur Days at the Masters	p. 13
Chapter 3 Monday April 7, 1997	p. 49
Chapter 4 Tuesday April 8, 1997	p. 71
Chapter 5 Wednesday April 9, 1997	p. 83
Chapter 6 Thursday, April 10, 1997	p. 95
Chapter 7 Friday April 11, 1997	p. 109
Chapter 8 Saturday April 12, 1997	p. 123
Chapter 9 Sunday April 13, 1997	p. 135
Chapter 10 Aftermath	p. 167
Chapter 11 Augusta National's Changes Since 1997	p. 183
Postscript	p. 217
Acknowledgments	p. 229
Index	p. 231
About the Authors	p. 243

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