Tiger Woods Wins US Open by 15

In June 2000, Tiger Woods won the US Open at Pebble Beach in California by fifteen strokes, the largest winning margin in any men's major championship. He finished at twelve under par, the only player in the field to finish under par. The performance is widely regarded as the most dominant in the history of professional golf, and it marked the start of what became known as the "Tiger Slam."

Woods arrived at Pebble Beach as the sport's leading player. Born in 1975, he had been a prodigy, winning three consecutive US Junior Amateur titles and then three consecutive US Amateur titles before turning professional in 1996. He won the Masters in 1997 by twelve strokes, and by 1999 he had added the PGA Championship. In 2000 he was winning tournaments at a remarkable rate, and the US Open, known for narrow fairways, thick rough and fast greens, seemed a test where his power and precision could be matched against the sport's toughest setup.

Woods led from the first round and never surrendered the advantage. Pebble Beach, a seaside course with small greens and unpredictable coastal conditions, troubled most of the field, and scores climbed accordingly. Woods kept the ball in play, hit his irons accurately and handled the greens with unusual composure. His lead after three rounds was ten strokes, and he held steady on the final day. The runners-up, Ernie Els and Miguel Ángel Jiménez, finished well behind him. The margin broke a record that had stood since Old Tom Morris won the 1862 Open Championship by thirteen strokes, a landmark from golf's earliest days.

The victory was the first leg of a run in which Woods won the Open Championship at St Andrews in July, the PGA Championship in August, and the 2001 Masters in April. Holding all four professional major titles at once, though not within a single calendar year, drew enormous attention. Whether this should count as a true Grand Slam was debated, but few doubted its significance.

The legacy of Pebble Beach extended beyond the record books. Woods's success drew new audiences to golf, boosted television ratings and sponsorship, and pushed prize money upward. It also prompted courses to be lengthened and toughened, a trend sometimes called "Tiger-proofing." Later injuries and personal troubles interrupted his career, but the 2000 US Open remains the benchmark against which dominant golf performances are measured.