Tiger Woods knew he was destined for greatness but it seems that not everybody else did.
By the time Woods had made his professional debut in 1996, he had already won three US Junior Amateur titles and topped it by scooping three successive US Amateur wins.
If two-time US Open winner Curtis Strange was surprised by what he heard when he sat down to interview Woods, then he clearly hadn’t been watching close enough.
Strange and Woods spoke shortly before the latter’s pro debut where they discussed Woods’ career to date and what and how much he was looking forward to being a professional golfer.
Woods had already made a name for himself in the amateur ranks and although he had swept away all competition, the amateurs lacked popularity among golf fans.
His successes had moulded a champion mentality, something Strange didn’t quite understand at the time particularly as Woods had yet to prove himself in the big leagues.
Speaking to Strange, Woods said: “I think if I play for solid rounds, we’re off to a good start today. I can do that for three more days and I’ll be very happy and a victory will also be nice.”
The mere fact that Woods was targeting victory so early in his professional career appeared to irk Strange who hinted that the new kid on the block would be better placed to earn his dues first.
“To me, that comes off as a little cocky or brash, especially talking to the other guys on tour who have been out here for years and have incredible records,” Strange replied.
“You’re coming out here on your first pro tournament saying you can win.”
Woods hit back: “I understand that, I’ve always figured that why go to a tournament if you’re not going there to win?
“There’s really no point in even going. That’s the attitude I’ve had my entire life and that’s the attitude I’ll always have.
“As I always explain to my dad, second sucks and third is even worse.”
“But on tour that’s not too bad sometimes,” Strange responded before Woods answered: “It’s not too bad but I want to win, that’s my nature.”
Strange then concluded the interview with a smirk before telling Woods: “You’ll learn.”
And the rest was history. Woods never did learn to settle for anything other than victory.
The likelihood is that an already ambitious Woods used Strange’s words as further fuel to show the world his talent.
And it didn’t take long for it to come to fruition as Woods romped to his first Major success a year later at the Masters.
In 1999, Woods picked up his first PGA Championship before the floodgates opened and he swept aside the competition, landing the US Open, The Open Championship and the PGA Championship in 2000.
Woods had blown Strange’s accomplishments out of the water before he’d even got started and today he stands at an incredible haul of 15 major titles.
Years after his ‘cocky’ jibe, and after clips of the interview had resurfaced online, Strange spoke of his regret at using the word during the interview.
He said: “As far as the comment that went semi-viral, I think the world was thinking the same thing I said, for Christ’s sake. In the world of golf, sometimes second doesn’t suck.
“I told Tiger years later, ‘I learned’. Maybe I was wrong and you were right. Or maybe we were both right.”
Asked whether he would love to recreate the famous interview from 1996, Strange said: “I enjoyed doing it. I’d always wanted to do another one with him, after the fact, after his great play. Then this (interview resurfaced online) came up, and I really wanted to do one after that.”
Strange himself has enjoyed a stellar career having burst onto the professional scene in 1976.
He went on to win 29 events including 17 PGA Tour tournaments and currently plays on the PGA Tour Champions.
