Watch: Rory McIlroy's Epic Choke Clears the Way for Tiger Woods Win
CORRECTION, March 31, 2019: As originally published, this article stated that Tiger Woods beat Brandt Snedeker in Thursday’s round. Snedeker actually beat Woods, but Woods advanced out of pool play by defeating Aaron Wise and Patrick Cantlay.
We apologize to Woods and to our readers for the error.
Tiger Woods’ run through the Dell Match Play in Austin, Texas, this week has been powered by unlikely events.
There was his miracle shot out of the bushes that came in a loss to Brandt Snedeker on Thursday.
From his knees.
Left-handed.
In the bushes.@TigerWoods has ALL the shots. ?#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/dmyexHvqr7— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 28, 2019
There was his monster approach shot for an eagle on a par 4 that powered his charge on the back nine to steamroll Patrick Cantlay on Friday.
TIGER. WOODS. #LiveUnderPar ? pic.twitter.com/SfxpoBROoe
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 29, 2019
But against Rory McIlroy on Saturday, it wasn’t Tiger’s heroics but rather McIlroy’s epic choke on 16 that ultimately led to Woods winning 2 and 1.
Woods was 1 up heading into the 16th hole when McIlroy hit a 395-yard home run ball of a drive, setting himself up perfectly to pull all square.
Tiger found the beach with his tee shot and was forced to lay up on his second shot.
McIlroy, however, learned the hard way that the short game is more important than driving, as every weekend duffer knows.
His approach shot flew over the green, came to rest against a wall and forced McIlroy to take an unplayable lie.
After taking a penalty stroke, things that had already gone from bad to worse went from worse to catastrophic as McIlroy’s next shot landed in a bunker.
By the time he got the ball into the hole, he carded a 7.
What a change in momentum.
Rory: 395-yard drive (longest drive of the day on 16)
Tiger: Finds the bunker
Tiger: Lays up
Tiger: Finds the green
Rory: Misses the green
Rory: Goes long
Rory: Takes unplayable
Rory: Finds the sand
Rory: Cards a 7@TigerWoods is 2 UP thru 16. pic.twitter.com/l8twgqYRP4— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 30, 2019
Woods won the hole, and after he hit a nice 15-foot par putt on 17, the match was over.
How Tiger sealed his win over Rory.#DellMatchPlay pic.twitter.com/A3nXtg4qus
— The European Tour (@EuropeanTour) March 30, 2019
McIlroy’s face told the whole story.
Rory after that 16th hole…
Tiger’s 2 up with 2 to play. pic.twitter.com/b2Zzjy2QVJ
— Skratch (@Skratch) March 30, 2019
Woods advanced to face Lucas Bjerregaard in golf’s answer to basketball’s Elite Eight later on Saturday.
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