“Tiger Woods apologized": Podcast duo recall golf legend saying sorry at 1998 US Open

Tiger Woods once apologized to the media for skipping a press conference during the early days of his career. The American golfer, a child prodigy, had an incredible amateur career, winning several tournaments and being named the Golf Digest Player of the Year in 1992. He started playing professionally in 1996 and, within a year, won his first major at the Masters.

Recently, Chris Solomon and Kevin Van Valkenburg (KVV) discussed Tiger Woods during a conversation about the 1998 major championships in Episode 923 of the No Laying Up podcast. The duo dove deep into interesting incidents from that year’s majors. During the discussion, they also mentioned the time when Woods apologized to the media for missing the "U.S. Open media."

Speaking of Woods, Van Valkenburg said (at 7:23):

"Tiger appeared at the dinner to accept his Player of the Year award, and he apologized to the media for having skipped the US Open earlier that year. 'So sorry, guys. I'm a young guy. I'm gonna make mistakes,' he apologized to the media for having skipped US Open media earlier that year said that he’s learning and hopes to be sort of better in the future.

"A lot of people in this era cannot resist that it is "Tiger versus the field" at the Masters. This is kind of the first appearance of that trope that will ring out for basically like a decade, at least, if not more," he added.

Notably, when Woods won his first major in 1997, he was awarded PGA Tour Player of the Year. He received the honor again in 1999 and also earned the PGA Tour Rookie of the Year in 1996, marking a fantastic start to his professional career. Soon after turning pro, Woods quickly became a household name due to his phenomenal skill on the greens.

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A quick recap of Tiger Woods' performance in major championships in 1998

The hosts of the No Laying Up podcast discussed the 1998 major championships. Although Woods didn’t win any majors that year, he recorded some impressive finishes. He began his major campaign at the Masters, hoping to defend his 1997 title. He put in an impressive performance but ultimately finished in a tie for eighth place.

After the Masters, Woods competed in the 1998 U.S. Open, but he struggled on the greens and finished tied for 18th, his worst result in the four majors that year. He was more impressive at The Open Championship, coming close to the title but securing third place. He also played in the PGA Championship that year, finishing in a tie for 10th. Out of the four majors Woods played in 1998, he recorded three top-10 finishes.

Over the years, Woods has been phenomenal in major championships, winning 15, second only to Jack Nicklaus, who won 18. The Stanford University alum has won five Masters, four PGA Championships, three U.S. Opens, and three Open Championships, with his most recent major victory being at the Masters in 2019.