Gear of the Greats

We're sure to see plenty of memorable shots hit at Merion this month, but will any go down in golfing lore? Charlie Schroeder highlights some of the most famous moments in US Open history – and reveals the clubs that were used to make them happen

Tiger Woods

Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Putter

2000 & 2008

What was more remarkable, Tiger Woods’ 15-shot victory at the 2000 US Open at Pebble Beach or his dramatic 2008 win at Torrey Pines that he pulled off on a broken leg? Hard to say. Each is amazing in its own right. In both, Woods, arguably the best putter of all time, wielded his Scotty Cameron Newport 2 blade.

While the rest of the field struggled at Pebble, Tiger made an incredible 21 birdies en route to his record-breaking score of 12-under par (later broken by Rory McIlroy’s stellar 16-under par route at Congressional in 2011). At Torrey, eight years later, Woods birdied 13 holes (including a dramatic 15-footer on the 72nd hole) and eagled three others to force a play-off with Rocco Mediate. He won the next day.

Incredibly Woods, who’s won 13 of his 14 majors with the Newport 2, changed putters at the 2010 Open Championship at St Andrews. Today, he plays Nike’s Method 001. Conspiracy theorists claim that he made the switch because Nike was the only sponsor to stick with him during his infidelity scandal.

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Written by Charlie Schroeder

Photography by Getty Images

Click here to see the published article.

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