1997

Tiger Woods’ first major victory comes with a 12-stroke win at The Masters, at the age of 21, setting numerous records in the process, including:

Masters record for youngest champion (21 years, three months, 14 days)
The first major champion of African or Asian heritage
Set Masters 72-hole record with a total of 270 (70-66-65-69)
Masters record with 12-stroke victory margin; three more than the previous record, held by Jack Nicklaus.
Masters records set or tied: most shots under par, second nine (16), low middle 36 holes (131), low first 54 holes (201, tied Raymond Floyd, 1976), low last 54 holes (200), lowest score par-five holes in one round (six under par, tied Steve Jones, 1990), largest 54-hole lead (nine strokes), youngest 36-hole and 54-hole leader, most threes, one tournament (26).

“I never thought I would have a lead like I did,” said Woods. “You envision dueling it out with Nicklaus or Watson or Faldo, but never to do it in the fashion I did.”

The Ryder Cup is held outside Britain and the USA for the first time, at Valderrama in Spain. An inspired Seve Ballesteros captains Europe to a dramatic and emotional victory, by just a single point.

Jack Nicklaus tees off in the US Open – his 150th consecutive major appearance.
John Daly is the first player to finish the PGA Tour season with a driving average of more than 300 yards.

Only 11 golfers on the PGA Tour use a wooden driver during the year. Justin Leonard and Davis Love III are among the last men standing, but both switch to metal drivers before the end of the year.

David Frost wins the Colonial Tournament, becoming the first man to win a PGA Tour event with soft spikes.