"Phil was devastated" - Fans react to Tiger Woods' birdie from 2001 Arnold Palmer Invitational which forced a playoff with Phil Mickelson

Syndication: Palm Beach Post - Source: Imagn

The 2001 Arnold Palmer Invitational was one for the history books. Golf legends Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson battled it out in a playoff, and Woods emerged victorious. Fans are still not over the iconic tournament, and some have taken to X (formerly Twitter) to share their views on the event.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of the most prestigious events on the PGA Tour. It was founded in 1979, and in 2014, the PGA Tour agreed to present a three-year exemption to the winner of each event. The winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational also gets a red cardigan to honor the memory of Palmer, who passed away in 2016.

The 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational is set to begin on March 6. Ahead of the event, NUCLR GOLF posted a video on X, looking back at the iconic 2001 game, which featured 82-time PGA Tour winner Tiger Woods and 45-time PGA Tour winner Phil Mickelson in a playoff. The video was captioned:

“🚨⛱️🐅 #FLASHBACK — Tiger Woods needed a par on 18 to force a playoff with Phil Mickelson at the 2001 Arnold Palmer Invitational — Tiger made birdie 🏆 @TWlegion.”

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Fans reacted to the throwback, saying:

“Phil was devastated🤣🤣”

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“Phil was so upset that pitch shot didn't go in because he knew what Tiger was going to do.”

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Other fans expressed their appreciation for the game.

“That will never be forgotten 👊,” an X user said.

“This is the best time period in golf,” another X user said.

“He probably would’ve won in the playoff, Tiger only lost 1 playoff in his whole career,” yet another X user shared.

“How many titles would Phil have if it wasn’t for Tiger? I know they didn’t have a lot of one on one battles, but just his mere presence was enough,” an X user said.

Tiger Woods birdied the 72nd hole in the event and won the tournament. This marked his 25th PGA Tour victory.

How to watch the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational

The 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational will begin on Thursday at the historical Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. The field will feature some of the biggest names in golf, including defending champion and World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, and Collin Morikawa.

Here’s the broadcast schedule for the fourth signature event on the PGA Tour this year:

March 6 - Round one