2000 U.S. Open Golf Championship

Infobox_Individual_Golf_Tournament
tournament_name = 2000 U.S. Open


dates = June 15th - June 18th
location = Pebble Beach, California
course = Pebble Beach Golf Links
tour = PGA Tour
PGA European Tour
Japan Golf Tour
par = 71
yardage = 6,846
field = 156 players, 63 after cut
cut = 149 (+7)
purse = $4,500,000
winners_share = $800,000
Champion = Tiger Woods
Score = 272 (-12)The 2000 United States Open Golf Championship was the 100th U.S. Open Championship of golf. It was played from Thursday, June 15 through Sunday, June 18 at Pebble Beach Golf Links. As the United States Golf Association wanted to begin the millennium with a memorable tournament, Pebble Beach was moved up several years in the rotation and hosted the 2000 U.S. Open. [ [http://www.golftoday.co.uk/tours/2000/usopen/preview8.html U.S. Open Reaches its Centenary] ] Notable golfers going into the tournament at large included Vijay Singh, the year's Masters Tournament winner, as well as Ernie Els, and David Duval. The defending champion, Payne Stewart, died in a plane crash in October of the previous year. His death was commemorated many times throughout the week. Sergio García wore Stewart's trademark navy plus fours in Stewart's honor in the first round. [ [http://www.golftoday.co.uk/tours/2000/usopen/round1report.html U.S. Open Report] ]

ummary of rounds of play

First round (Thursday and Friday morning)

Players who started took advantage of the calm conditions. The second hole proved difficult for many golfers. USGA officials changed the hole from a par-5 to a par-4. Tiger Woods fired a six-under 65 to take the first round lead. 75 golfers were unable to complete their rounds and finished Friday morning.

Final round (Sunday)

Tiger Woods won his third major championship in amazing fashion after a final round 67. At minus-12, he became the first player in the 106-year history of the U.S. Open to finish all four rounds at double-digits under par. His aggregate 272 ties the lowest score ever in a U.S. Open set by Jack Nicklaus. His 15 stroke margin of victory remains the largest margin of victory in a major championship. After nine pars in the front nine, Woods birdied four of the first five holes on the back nine. Woods's 67 was the low round of the day.

[http://www.golftoday.co.uk/tours/2000/usopen/round4scores.html "Full final leaderboard"]

Impact

Tiger Woods would go on to win four majors in a row, the first ever player to simultaneously hold all four major championship titles, otherwise referred to as the "Tiger Slam". The year 2000 is often regarded as the pinnacle on Woods's career, though Woods himself denies this. Fact|date=July 2008

Quotes

"Before we went out, I knew I had no chance" - Ernie Els, commenting on Tiger Woods's 10 stroke advantage at the beginning of the final round.

"If you were building the complete golfer, you'd build Tiger Woods." - Mark O'Meara, on Tiger Woods

"We've been talking about him for two years, I guess we'll be talking about him for the next 20. When he's on, we don't have much of a chance." - Ernie Els, on Tiger Woods

"Records are great, but you don't really pay attention to that. The only thing I know is I got the trophy sitting right next to me." - Tiger Woods, on his dominating performance.

ee also

*United States Golf Association
*Pebble Beach Golf Links

References