Tiger Woods' 'Shot in the Dark' still resonates at Firestone Country Club 25 years later
Twenty-five years after Tiger Woods' 'Shot in the Dark,' all Hal Sutton remembers are the beams of light.
Sutton believes it may have been from cars in the distance as the 2000 World Golf Championships-NEC Invitational was nearing conclusion. One long-time volunteer recalls trucks being pulled into the parking lot at Firestone Country Club for illumination. Behind the 18th green, a light pole stood beside the CBS broadcast tower housing Jim Nantz and Ken Venturi. Network cameras had irises wide open, deceiving viewers of the blackness at 8:25 p.m.
After a nearly three-hour rain delay, all were pushing to finish. Woods' playing partner, Sutton, had a plane waiting to take him to Jamaica for a match in 'Shell's Wonderful World of Golf' the next day. Woods battled flu-like symptoms in the final round, his fever breaking on the fourth hole. Woods came to 18 with a 10-stroke lead, so the only thing in doubt was where Sutton would end up on the earnings list.
Facing a chip from behind the green that he had to walk off to gauge, Sutton recently said by phone, 'I had never been part of something that dark.'
But Woods didn't need to see. Channeling his childhood days playing in the twilight with his father, Woods struck an 8-iron from 167 yards that landed two feet from the pin. After locating the ball, the gallery erupted. To help him sink the birdie putt, fans pulled out cigarette lighters.
'It was just like you were at a concert, wanting to have another encore,' then-tournament director Tom Strong said.
Ryan Lewis takes on 'The Monster': The Monster 16th at Firestone South: One hacker's adventure playing a 667-yard par-5
'The cool effect of it all was when the putt was on the way, all the flashbulbs going off. It created for golf a paparazzi moment that you never see in the heat of the battle,' Nantz said.
'There was a long list of jaw-dropping moments in Tiger's career, but this is on the very short list of the ones that defy explanation. That shot. The hole-out at 16 at Augusta in 2005 where the ball hung on the lip. There's a long list of almost ridiculous achievements and accomplishments by Tiger. But this is on that ultra-exclusive special-special list of things you can never explain.'
What readers remember: Readers share memories of Tiger Woods' 'Shot in the Dark' at Firestone Country Club in 2000
The 'Shot in the Dark' remains arguably the most iconic moment in the 70-year history of professional golf at Firestone, where Woods has won eight times. Strong, now a retired PGA Tour official living in Wisconsin, puts it in his top three in Akron, with Woods' seven-hole playoff victory over Jim Furyk in the 2001 NEC Invitational his No. 1.
Nantz added Jose Maria Olazabal's 12-shot victory in the 1990 NEC World Series of Golf, Greg Norman chipping in from the right of the 18th green to win a 1995 NEC playoff with Nick Price and Billy Mayfair and Jack Nicklaus vs. Lee Elder, who went shot for shot for four playoff holes before Nicklaus won the 1968 American Golf Classic. With Nicklaus rallying from a five-stroke deficit and Frank Beard eliminated earlier in sudden death, that ending has been called one of the most exciting in televised golf history.
But for most golf fans, those do not remain talking points. The spot from where Woods hit the 'Shot in the Dark' in the first cut right of the fairway has become a destination. During the June 18 pro-am before the $3.5 million Kaulig Companies Championship, amateurs and caddies took pictures. There are divots from those who have tried recreating Woods' magic.
'Who else could have done that? One of the greatest athletes of the century, an incredible athlete at the peak of his skills doing something absolutely unfathomable,' said Michael Weinreb, a journalist, novelist and screenwriter who pens 'Throwbacks' on Substack. The 'Shot in the Dark' was Weinreb's final article for the Beacon Journal before he left to attend graduate school.
'I distinctly remember that sound of that ball landing on the green, that plunk of the ball,' Weinreb said by phone from his home in Oakland. 'It almost felt like you were alone because it was so dark out. I will never forget that feeling — 'This is something I will remember 25 years from now' — and I do.
'It's one of those moments that gives you chills just thinking about it.'
Reader memories: Remembering Tiger Woods' 'Shot in the Dark' at Firestone Country Club in 2000
Woods, 49, has amassed 82 career victories on the PGA Tour, including 15 majors. At the 2000 NEC, he was coming off a playoff victory over Bob May in the PGA Championship, had won the U.S. Open at Pebble Beach by 15 shots and the Open Championship at St. Andrews by 8 strokes. After eight official victories that year, he would complete the 'Tiger Slam' in April with a two-shot triumph at the Masters. Ernie Els was runner-up at two of those, the U.S. and British Opens.
'That's one of those moments that Tiger Woods brought to this place,' Els said June 18 of the 'Shot in the Dark.' 'So many moments just on this venue.'
Nantz broadcast tournaments from Akron for 33 years and remains nostalgic for Firestone, which last hosted a PGA Tour event in 2018. His memories of the 'Shot in the Dark' are more vivid than his sight was that night.
'I could not make out anyone back in the fairway,' Nantz said by phone from his home at Pebble Beach. 'It was that almost boomerang-shaped green and that back hole location is extremely narrow. I never could follow the ball in flight. I remember this thing coming in and once it landed, it was just jaw-dropping. I could still barely make out the golf ball. It was as if he had GPS'd the shot and struck it with his eyes closed because that's basically what it felt like in person.'
Sutton, 67, living in Columbus, Texas, in retirement, won 14 times on the PGA Tour. He admitted he initially wasn't wild about the rush to the clubhouse. Strong recalled the rules officials wanting to stop at 16 before getting word the final group wanted to finish.
'He had a [big] lead on me. Who knows what I could have made in the dark,' Sutton said by phone from his hometown of Shreveport, La., where he was visiting his father. 'He wanted to go play and I was like, 'Uh, I'm the only one who could lose anything here. He can't play that bad on the hole.'
'We agreed and he makes birdie, and I made par. It all worked out fine and it was part of history.'
Sutton nearly holed his chip, easing his anxiety. Always naming Firestone among his favorites because 'it's a great ball-strikers course,' Sutton found consolation in his one-shot victory over Woods in the 2000 Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass. Sutton counts that among his career highlights, along with beating Nicklaus in the 1983 PGA Championship at Riviera Country Club.
When it was suggested that Woods won basically everything in 2000, Sutton said, 'Except TPC. So I was with him at two iconic moments of that year. Kind of fun to recall both of those moments, really. One I was the winner and one he trounced us all.'
Sutton said he was never bothered by the massive galleries that followed Woods.
'That's what we dealt with every week. They were wanting to see history,' Sutton said. 'They thought Tiger was going to break all of Jack's records.
'The crowd to me was always like a frame to a picture. Actually, the crowd makes it easier in a way because it frames where you're trying to go.'
Woods has not competed since July 2024 due to multiple surgeries, many after a horrific single-car accident in 2021 in Los Angeles. He turns 50 on Dec. 30, making him eligible for the PGA Tour Champions, which allows players to ride in carts.
'When he gets in a cart, he'll tear it up, absolutely,' Nicklaus said last month at the Memorial Tournament, per Golfweek. 'He'll win better than 50 percent of the tournaments he plays in, I think. You all know how good a player he is but, I mean, his work ethic is so good.'
Els has been Woods' victim several times and watched his legendary shots, many at Firestone. Count Els among those who hope Woods can return to the Akron course he once dominated.
'He's just an amazing, phenomenal player,' Els said. 'Hopefully we'll see him out here next year or the year after that.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Former NFL QB Tony Romo's golf career continues at this Illinois tournament
Tony Romo is scheduled to return for a third straight year to play in the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Championship field and in a pro-am event. The NFL broadcast analyst for CBS and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback will be part of the pro-am at Metamora Fields Golf Club on Tuesday. He is also scheduled to visit the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois as part of his trip, according to OSF. Romo, 45, played high school football in Wisconsin and college football at Eastern Illinois. He went undrafted in 2003, but ended up playing 13 seasons with the Cowboys before retiring in 2017. He now is the lead color analyst for CBS's NFL broadcasts, working with top play-by-play voice Jim Nantz. What is the OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois Championship? The tournament for professional players begins 7 a.m. Wednesday and runs through Saturday, with the first two rounds at Metamora Fields and WeaverRidge Golf Club. The final two rounds will be played at Metamora Fields. Spectators can attend all rounds at both courses for free. The men's purse is an estimated $175,000, with $35,000 going to the winner, and the women's tournament total purse is estimated at $80,00,0 with $10,000 to the winner, according to the ATP and ANNIKA websites. The tournament features a men's draw from the Men's All-Pro Tour, a circuit of rising young pro players. The women's side is the ANNIKA Tour, named in honor of legendary golfer Annika Sorenstam. Who else is scheduled to play in the event? Former Morton and University of Illinois star Tommy Kuhl is scheduled to play in the pro tournament. It's not known yet if he'll join Romo in the pro-am. Former Metamora golfer and Germantown Hills native Ryan Ballard is in the draw, as is former Pekin golfer and Pekin resident Mason Minkel, playing under amateur status. Also in the draw are East Peoria and Illinois State golfer David Perkins and former Fieldcrest player and Minonk resident Clay Wells. As of Friday, there are players in the women's draw from India, Myanmar, Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay, China, Canada, Australia, Germany, South Africa, France and all around the U.S. The men's side is mostly players from around the U.S. What are the APT and ANNIKA Tours? The APT is a developmental level of the pro game that has produced PGA Tour winners Mark Hensby, J.L. Lewis, Tim Herron, Cameron Beckman, Bubba Watson, and Ryan Palmer, Scottie Scheffler, Hayden Buckley, Michael Arnaud, and 2021 Masters runner-up Will Zalatoris. The ANNIKA Tour has seen Yealimi Noh, Matilda Castren, Gabby Then, Grace Kim, Sofia Garcia, Alexa Pano, Savannah Vilaubi and Riley Rennell all graduate to the LPGA Tour. Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@ Follow him on @icetimecleve.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
Dolphins' Tua Tagovailoa among CBS' 'volatile' NFL quarterbacking tier
Like many Miami fans, CBS needs to see it to believe it. In CBS' NFL quarterbacking tiers heading into the 2025 season, Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa finds himself ranked among the bottom half of the league's signal-callers. CBS placed Tagovailoa in Tier 4, which it referred to as "Volatile Veterans." The medical conversation can't be oversold here; Tagovailoa has played one full season in five years with the Miami Dolphins. Aside from that, he's been polarizing, offering top-shelf accuracy (68.1% career completion rate) but struggling mightily when pressed to create plays out of script when it counts. - Cody Benjamin, CBS. Tagovailoa played in and started just 11 games for Miami last season after suffering a nasty concussion in Week 2 versus the Buffalo Bills that sidelined him for four games. Then, a hip injury late in the season cost Tagovailoa two more contests. Tagovailoa completed 72.9% of his passes for 2,867 yards and 19 touchdowns against seven picks in 2024. Tagovailoa finds himself among fellow veteran quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers, Geno Smith, Trevor Lawrence, Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold in Tier 4. Tier 1 featured CBS' "Transcendent Talents." That group included Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Joe Burrow, Jalen Hurts and Jayden Daniels. Tier 2—CBS' "Borderline Stars"—featured Matthew Stafford, Jared Goff, Brock Purdy, Jordan Love, Justin Herbert, Dak Prescott, Baker Mayfield and C.J. Stroud. Tier 3 welcomed "Promising Prospects" Bo Nix, Caleb Williams, J.J. McCarthy and Drake Maye. Though it's just been the lone season where Tagovailoa has played in and started all 17 games for the Dolphins thus far, the 27-year-old led the league in passing during that 2023 campaign. Tagovailoa racked up an NFL-best 4,624 passing yards and had 29 touchdowns against 14 interceptions in 2023.
Newsweek
2 hours ago
- Newsweek
Tiger Woods Back at Augusta National, First Time Since Achiles Injury
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Tiger Woods has shown several signs of a successful recovery from his ruptured Achilles tendon. He was recently spotted twice following his son, Charlie, during golf tournaments, and this Friday he visited the Augusta National Golf Club. This marks Woods' first return to the Masters Tournament venue since his injury. In fact, that incident prevented him from attending the infamous Champions Dinner at the most recent edition of the event. Woods' purpose in visiting was to see firsthand the construction of the 9-hole course designed by his firm, TGR Design, next to the Augusta Municipal Golf Course, near the renowned Augusta National. Fred Ridley, chairman of the Masters Tournament, accompanied Woods on his visit. 🚨👀🌺 #BACK IN AUGUSTA — Tiger Woods visited Augusta, GA today for a site visit to his new short course in partnership with ANGC at Augusta Municipal Golf Course. (Via @TheMasters) — TWLEGION (@TWlegion) June 20, 2025 Currently known as "The Patch," the 9-hole course is part of a project by Woods that includes a TGR Learning Lab. The course is expected to open in 2026, and the lab is scheduled to open in 2028. It will be the fourth TGR Learning Lab, joining those currently operating in Anaheim and Philadelphia, and the one that will be open next year in Los Angeles. These STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) institutions are designed to promote and facilitate the development of different branches of knowledge. This collaboration between Woods and Augusta National was announced at the 2025 Masters Tournament. At the time, Ridley emphasized the importance of the future course for both the community and the legendary player: "I know that this whole concept of a short course is something that's near and dear to Tiger's heart," Ridley said, according to the Augusta Chronicle. "I know he's stated that he grew up playing on short courses. So I'm sure they're going to make it really interesting for these people, for everybody -the young people and everybody else that are playing it." Tiger Woods of the United States walks up the first fairway during the first round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 06, 2023 in Augusta, Georgia. Tiger Woods of the United States walks up the first fairway during the first round of the 2023 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club on April 06, 2023 in Augusta, early March, Tiger Woods announced that he had ruptured his Achilles tendon while preparing for the Players Championship. The event would have marked the start of his 2025 PGA Tour season. The 15-time major champion underwent immediate surgery, and the prognosis was favorable. However, due to the severity of the injury, it is unlikely that Woods will return to competitive golf until at least 2026. More Golf: Paige Spiranac Drops 'Hot Take' Sunday Golfers May Not Like
