Fact Check

Was Tiger Woods' Walk-Off Putt Real?

The putt in this video may be the only thing that was unaltered.

Published June 2, 2021

 (Wikipedia)
Image Via Wikipedia
Claim:
A video shows golfer Tiger Woods celebrating victory long before his 19-foot putt goes in.

On June 1, 2021, a video supposedly showing Tiger Woods hitting a putt, then turning to start his celebration long before the ball reaches the cup, was posted to the social media video platform TikTok. That video, which was presented as if it were the "coldest moment in sport" history, quickly racked up nearly 1 million views.

This is not a genuine video of a walk-off putt from Tiger Woods.

The video is actually several years old. It first started circulating in 2019 after Woods hit a 19-foot putt to win a singles match at the Presidents Cup. In the genuine video, Woods watches his ball as it makes its way across the green and toward the cup. It isn't until the very last second that he raises his head and acknowledges his victory.

Here's the original clip:

Woods' genuine celebration caused some conversation online, as he does lift his head a moment or two before the ball actually goes in. After the match, Woods said:

“Well, when it was about probably like six feet out — the match was over. I might have taken the hat off a little bit early, but it was over.”

PuttOut Golf, a company that makes various golf aids, played on this theme and created the viral video that exaggerated Woods' confidence. The company originally posted the video to Twitter with the caption: "Does Tiger’s walk get earlier every time you see it?"

Dan Evon is a former writer for Snopes.

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