The Great Tiger Is Tamed at the PGA

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

History was made at the 91st PGA Championship, played at Hazeltine near Chaska, Minnesota. It was the type of history nobody expected.

Everyone thought Tiger Woods, the greatest golfer so far in the 21st century, would dominate the field as he has so often done over the last decade. Everyone was wrong. A South Korean with limited pro tour experience named Y.E. Yang defeated Woods by three strokes, becoming the first Asian man to win one of golf's majors.

Usually, when you are paired with Woods (as Yang was on the final day), you bow down to the Great Tiger as your game melts away under the pressure. That's why he has no real competition in his inexorable march towards winning more titles than anybody else.

About the only way Yang could have beaten Tiger is if Tiger beats himself, which is what happened. Woods led for three not-so-stellar rounds before the final round collapsed into a maze of wild shots and poor putting, allowing Yang to take advantage and pass him at the 16th hole.

Woods has yet to win a major tournament since he had knee surgery last year. He's also 0-for-Minnesota, having lost to Rich Beem at the 2002 PGA, also held at Hazeltine.

Yang now joins Masters champion Angel Cabrera, U.S. Open winner Lucas Glover and (British) Open champion Stewart Cink as non-household names who have won this year's majors in golf. Those in the golfers' households must be very happy.

Yang's victory must have also come as a shock to the media covering the event, where for the past few days it was All Tiger All The Time, at the expense of the other worthy golfers participating. There was breathless coverage of who he was paired with, what he thought about the course, the competition and the galleries. Everything, it seemed, except for what he thought of President Obama's health care plan.

It may be tiresome, but Tiger Woods is the straw that stirs golf's drink. TV ratings skyrocket every time he competes in a tournament, especially a major. If Woods misses the cut or skips a tournament, you might as well be watching a test pattern.

Minnesota doesn't have a regular stop on the PGA Tour, but when something like this comes along, people turn out in big numbers despite overpriced tickets, food and drink. And they got to see something that seldom happens--The Great Tiger tamed by a new face who made a little history of his own.