Tiger Woods, NBC Sports’ Gary Koch receive remarkable Players Championship tribute

You could call this tribute, “Better than most.”

On Friday, tournament officials placed the pin on the par-3 17th in the front left portion of the green, six paces from the front and four from the left. It’s precisely where the hole was during the third round of the 2001 Players Championship, when Tiger Woods holed one of the best putts of his career.

On that Saturday afternoon, the now 15-time major winner faced a 60-foot putt for birdie, which featured a triple break and quite the journey down the slope. A three-putt seemed plausible, but Woods, of course, holed it, with Gary Koch of NBC Sports saying on the telecast, “Better than most. Better than most,” as the ball made its way to the cup.

Woods went on to win The Players that week, which marked the first of his two titles at TPC Sawgrass.

Unfortunately, Woods is not playing in this year’s edition. Earlier this week, he announced that he had suffered a ruptured Achilles tendon, which will likely keep him out until 2026. It seemed like he would next play at Augusta National in April, but that is out of the question with his latest injury.

Nevertheless, Woods’ incredible moment from the 2001 Players lives on this week. As the ESPN+ PGA Tour Live Broadcast noted on Friday morning, the bottom of the cup references Woods’ improbable putt with Koch’s iconic call.

Granted, only those in this week’s field can see the bottom of the cup. But this is a touching tribute, especially given Woods’ injury and since Koch reprised his role in the NBC Sports booth this week.

Great stuff all around.

Better than most, indeed.

Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Follow him on X @jack_milko.