Tiger Woods cards a 10 on notorious par-three hole at Masters to make history for all the wrong reasons

By Paul Gittings, CNN
Updated 2:38 AM EST, Mon November 16, 2020
Tiger Woods helps Masters' champion Dustin Johnson with his green jacket after his victory at the Masters golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Augusta, Ga.
Tiger Woods helps Masters' champion Dustin Johnson with his green jacket after his victory at the Masters golf tournament Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020, in Augusta, Ga.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Dustin Johnson of the US embraces his caddie and brother Austin Johnson after sinking his putt to win on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2020 Masters. After being delayed seven months by the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Masters Tournament was held without patrons 12 November through 15 November.
Dustin Johnson of the US embraces his caddie and brother Austin Johnson after sinking his putt to win on the 18th hole during the final round of the 2020 Masters. After being delayed seven months by the coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 Masters Tournament was held without patrons 12 November through 15 November.
Tannen Maury/EPA-EFE/Shutterstock
A view of the gallery as Dustin Johnson of the United States lines up a putt on the 18th green before claiming victory.
A view of the gallery as Dustin Johnson of the United States lines up a putt on the 18th green before claiming victory.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Corey Conners, of Canada, walks with his caddie Kyle Peters on the 15th fairway during the final round.
Corey Conners, of Canada, walks with his caddie Kyle Peters on the 15th fairway during the final round.
Matt Slocum/AP
Cameron Smith, of Australia, watches his tee shot on the ninth hole during the final round on his way to a tie for second place.
Cameron Smith, of Australia, watches his tee shot on the ninth hole during the final round on his way to a tie for second place.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Dustin Johnson of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the seventh hole.
Dustin Johnson of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the seventh hole.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Tiger Woods of the United States reacts on the seventh green during his topsy-turvy round which included a 10 on the short 12th.
Tiger Woods of the United States reacts on the seventh green during his topsy-turvy round which included a 10 on the short 12th.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Sungjae Im, of South Korea, walks down the fourth fairway in his final round of 69 which left him tied with Cameron Smith on 15-under.
Sungjae Im, of South Korea, walks down the fourth fairway in his final round of 69 which left him tied with Cameron Smith on 15-under.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Brooks Koepka of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole.
Brooks Koepka of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Tiger Woods of the United States, Scottie Scheffler of the United States and Shane Lowry of Ireland walk from the first tee on the final round.
Tiger Woods of the United States, Scottie Scheffler of the United States and Shane Lowry of Ireland walk from the first tee on the final round.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Spectators leave the Augusta National Golf Course following the third round.
Spectators leave the Augusta National Golf Course following the third round.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Justin Thomas watches his shot out of a bunker on the 18th hole which he eventually bogeyed to fall six behind Johnson.
Justin Thomas watches his shot out of a bunker on the 18th hole which he eventually bogeyed to fall six behind Johnson.
Matt Slocum/AP
Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot from the 10th tee during the third round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. He leads by four on 16-under.
Dustin Johnson of the United States plays his shot from the 10th tee during the third round of the Masters at Augusta National Golf Club. He leads by four on 16-under.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Tiger Woods of the United States looks on the second hole during his third round of 72 to fall 11 shots behind Johnson.
Tiger Woods of the United States looks on the second hole during his third round of 72 to fall 11 shots behind Johnson.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Sungjae Im, of South Korea, putts on the 10th hole on his way to a 12-under tally and joint second place after three rounds.
Sungjae Im, of South Korea, putts on the 10th hole on his way to a 12-under tally and joint second place after three rounds.
Chris Carlson/AP
A course worker updates the scoreboard on the eighth green during the third round.
A course worker updates the scoreboard on the eighth green during the third round.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Justin Thomas takes to a rules official after hitting his ball in the water on the 15th hole.
Justin Thomas takes to a rules official after hitting his ball in the water on the 15th hole.
Chris Carlson/AP
Dustin Johnson watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the second round on his way to a 70 and the joint clubhouse lead at nine-under.
Dustin Johnson watches his tee shot on the 14th hole during the second round on his way to a 70 and the joint clubhouse lead at nine-under.
David J. Phillip/AP
Sungjae Im, of South Korea, tees off at the 18th and he closed just one shot adrift of the clubhouse leaders on eight-under.
Sungjae Im, of South Korea, tees off at the 18th and he closed just one shot adrift of the clubhouse leaders on eight-under.
David J. Phillip/AP
A course worker watches play on the 17th hole during the first round of the Masters golf tournament.
A course worker watches play on the 17th hole during the first round of the Masters golf tournament.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States rides in a cart with a rules official after playing his second tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the Masters as ran up a triple bogey seven.
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States rides in a cart with a rules official after playing his second tee shot on the third hole during the second round of the Masters as ran up a triple bogey seven.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Abraham Ancer, of Mexico, watches his tee shot on the fourth hole on his way to the joint clubhouse lead on nine-under.
Abraham Ancer, of Mexico, watches his tee shot on the fourth hole on his way to the joint clubhouse lead on nine-under.
Chris Carlson/AP
A general view as Collin Morikawa of the United States walks on the second green at Augusta National.
A general view as Collin Morikawa of the United States walks on the second green at Augusta National.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Tiger Woods of the United States lines up a putt on the third green, which he three-putted for a bogey.
Tiger Woods of the United States lines up a putt on the third green, which he three-putted for a bogey.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Justin Thomas of the United States jumps to check his lie on the 14th hole on his way to a 69 with four finishing birdies to share the clubhouse lead.
Justin Thomas of the United States jumps to check his lie on the 14th hole on his way to a 69 with four finishing birdies to share the clubhouse lead.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Amatuer John Augenstein drops his driver after teeing off on the seventh hole but is set to make the cut on three-under after two rounds.
Amatuer John Augenstein drops his driver after teeing off on the seventh hole but is set to make the cut on three-under after two rounds.
Chris Carlson/AP
Patrick Cantlay watches as Dustin Johnson putts on the 17th hole during the first round of the Masters.
Patrick Cantlay watches as Dustin Johnson putts on the 17th hole during the first round of the Masters.
Matt Slocum/AP
Tiger Woods hits from the 15th fairway during the first round of the Masters. He finished four-under par.
Tiger Woods hits from the 15th fairway during the first round of the Masters. He finished four-under par.
Charlie Riedel/AP
Course workers fill the scoreboard on the 15th hole during the first round.
Course workers fill the scoreboard on the 15th hole during the first round.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Webb Simpson (right) fist pumps Hideki Matsuyama (left) on the ninth hole after their first round.
Webb Simpson (right) fist pumps Hideki Matsuyama (left) on the ninth hole after their first round.
Matt Slocum/AP
Simpson tees off on the ninth hole. The American finished the day five-under.
Simpson tees off on the ninth hole. The American finished the day five-under.
Matt Slocum/AP
Phil Mickelson looks on. The three-time Masters champion finished four-under after his first round.
Phil Mickelson looks on. The three-time Masters champion finished four-under after his first round.
Rob Carr/Getty Images
Woods putts on the 12th green.
Woods putts on the 12th green.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Paul Casey, the clubhouse leader after the first day, hits on the 17th hole.
Paul Casey, the clubhouse leader after the first day, hits on the 17th hole.
David J. Phillip/AP
Kessler Karain, caddie for Patrick Reed, lines up a putt for the American.
Kessler Karain, caddie for Patrick Reed, lines up a putt for the American.
Patrick Smith/Getty Images
Empty tables are seen near the course during the first round. Patrons have not been allowed to attend the tournament due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Empty tables are seen near the course during the first round. Patrons have not been allowed to attend the tournament due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Bryson DeChambeau is aided by caddies and officials to look for his ball in the bushes on the 13th hole after a wayward shot.
Bryson DeChambeau is aided by caddies and officials to look for his ball in the bushes on the 13th hole after a wayward shot.
Chris Carlson/AP
Lee Westwood, an early leader on day one of the Masters, tees off on the eighth hole.
Lee Westwood, an early leader on day one of the Masters, tees off on the eighth hole.
Matt Slocum/AP
The scoreboard is updated with a "Weather Warning" and "Play Suspended" sign after lightning and rain caused play to be halted after just 30 minutes on the first day.
The scoreboard is updated with a "Weather Warning" and "Play Suspended" sign after lightning and rain caused play to be halted after just 30 minutes on the first day.
Jamie Squire/Getty Images
Honorary starter Jack Nicklaus waves to the few patrons gathered for his ceremonial tee shot on the first hole ahead of the first round.
Honorary starter Jack Nicklaus waves to the few patrons gathered for his ceremonial tee shot on the first hole ahead of the first round.
Rob Schumacher/USA TODAY Sports
Golfers practice on the putting green next near the Augusta National Golf Course clubhouse before the start of the first round in near darkness.
Golfers practice on the putting green next near the Augusta National Golf Course clubhouse before the start of the first round in near darkness.
David J. Phillip/AP
CNN  — 

Tiger Woods would have hoped to finish his Masters title defense with a strong final round, instead he suffered a humiliating meltdown on the hole which was so kind to him in his 2019 triumph at Augusta National.

The 155-yard par-three 12th is fronted by Rae’s Creek and, with three bunkers to the rear, it is a treacherous test for even the best, as the 15-time major champion found to his cost on Sunday.

In last year’s Masters it was his close rivals Francesco Molinari, Brooks Koepka, Ian Poulter and Tony Finau who all found the water in front of the green, but this time Woods did so three times on his way to a 10 – the highest single-hole score of his professional career.

Woods, who was three-under-par at the time, hit his initial tee shot into Rae’s Creek, much to his initial dismay. But it was to get far worse.

Taking a penalty drop, he struck his next shot onto the green but it spun back into the water, before overcompensating with his fifth shot and firing it over the green into a bunker.

Faced with a difficult stance in the bunker, Woods thinned his shot back into Rae’s Creek.

After taking another drop, Woods eventually made it out of the bunker with his eighth before two-putting from the fringe of the green for his double-digit score.

Dropping back to four-over-par, Woods hit back in typical style with a stunning five birdies in the next six holes, but the damage had been done on the 12th as he finished with a round of 76 at one under.

Woods said a change in the wind direction on the hole had foxed him with his first shot off the tee.

“I also got ahead of it and pushed it, too, because I thought the wind would come more off the right and it was off the left, and that just started the problem from there,” he said.

“From there I hit a lot more shots and had a lot more experiences there in Rae’s Creek.

“This is unlike any other sport in which you’re so alone out there and you have to figure it out and you have to fight and no one is going to bring you off the mound or call in a sub and you just have to figure it out, and I did coming in,” he added.