The best round no one saw: Tiger Woods recalls the 59 that hinted at history

Tiger Woods’ 12-shot, color-barrier shattering victory in the 1997 Masters might be the most impactful event in golf history, but, according to the man himself, the best round of his life happened the week earlier. The date was April 4, six days before the first round of Woods’ first Masters appearance as a professional. As was his custom then, Woods was set to play a casual-but-competitive round—every round, under any circumstance, comes with a healthy dose of competition when Woods is involved—at his home course, Isleworth Country Club in Windermere, Fla., with Mark O’Meara, a close friend who served as Woods’ mentor in his early years on the PGA Tour. More on #59Day #59Day Our super-handy guide to all the 59s in PGA Tour (and pro golf) history Woods had been a professional for less than a year but already had three tour wins and had risen to World No. 14. He had flashed signs of his dominant potential but hadn’t quite emerged as an icon, as he would a week later. O’Meara was actuall...