With a final-round 70, Tiger Woods claimed victory at the 2019 Masters Tournament, ending a nearly 11-year major championship drought.
This week’s 3 Questions for the Winner is powered by Taylormade Golf, the brand Tiger relied on to win his fifth Green Jacket.
Woods finished his four rounds at Augusta National Golf Club on 13-under par to secure his 15th major title, and 81st PGA Tour victory – now just two shy of Sam Snead’s record 83. The victory earned the 43-year old Stanford product $2,070,000, 100 OWGR points, and 600 tour points.
Afterwards, Woods met with the media in the newish press room inside the iconic clubhouse in Augusta, Georgia. Here are a few of the top pulls from the back and forth.
“WELCOME HOME”
Tiger, welcome back (laughter). Or, should I say, more appropriately, welcome home.
TIGER WOODS: Yeah, just unreal, to be honest with you. You know, just the whole tournament has meant so much to me over the years. Coming here in ’95 for the first time, and being able to play as an amateur; winning in’97, and then come full circle, 22 years later, to be able to do it again, and just the way it all transpired today.
There were so many different scenarios that could have transpired on that back nine. There were so many guys that had a chance to win. Leaderboard was absolutely packed and everyone was playing well. You couldn’t have had more drama than we all had out there, and now I know why I’m balding (laughter). This stuff is hard.
Yeah, just to come back here and play as well as I did and did all the things‑‑ all the little things well this week, and to do it here. This has meant so much to me and my family, this tournament, and to have everyone here, it’s something I’ll never, ever forget.
A WIN FOR THE AGES
This is clearly one of those monumental days in all of sport when people all around the world will say, “Where were you when Tiger won his 5th green jacket in 2019?”
TIGER WOODS: Well, I know where I was (laughter). Yeah, I had a little one‑foot tap‑in.
It hasn’t sunk in at all. This is one of those things, it’s going to take a little bit of time, and I’m just fresh off of just winning the tournament, and I just can’t wait to see how it all unfolded from the TV perspective, because I know I was grinding hard trying to chase Francesco today, and then all of a sudden the leaderboard flipped and there were a bunch of guys up there who had a chance to win.
I hit some of the best shots on that back nine today. You know, I felt like I just flushed it coming home, which was a nice feeling.
“I CAN WIN MAJORS NOW”
You told us on Tuesday that you didn’t need to win but you really wanted to, and you also said that the win at East Lake confirmed that you could still win. What does this win confirm for you?
TIGER WOODS: Well, I can win majors now (laughter).
The win at East Lake was a big confidence‑booster for me because I had come close last year a couple times, which still have to get it across the finish line, and I didn’t quite do it. I didn’t do it at Tampa. I didn’t do it at The Open Championship. I was a little better at the PGA, but still I didn’t win.
East Lake was a big step for me, confirming that I could still win out here and against the best players. Because East Lake, obviously it’s the hottest 30 guys for the year. To be able to do that against Rory and Rosey there gave me a lot of confidence going into this year, and I said, you know, just keep building on it and let’s try to get the mind and body peaking towards Augusta.
So my last three major championships have been pretty good, so that in itself gives me a lot of confidence going down the road.
VIDEO: THE CHAMPION’S PRESSER
Credit: ASAP Sports, Getty Images, The Masters
