Seven years ago, at the Desert Classic, a nervous first reserve made the worst possible first impression on Tiger Woods, and the framed shirt hanging in his home tells the whole story.

Marcus Armitage wore a red Nike shirt to the 2017 Omega Dubai Desert Classic for one reason. He wanted Tiger Woods to sign it. The English golfer, navigating his rookie European Tour season, was first reserve at Emirates Golf Club. He didn’t get into the tournament field. But Woods was there. That was enough.

On December 9, 2025, Armitage appeared on the Life on Tour podcast with George Harper Jr., presented by Buffalo Trace. He finally revealed the chaos.

“I threw my balls down. They went all over the. It hit him on the heels.” The scattered practice balls struck Tiger Woods directly. Multiple balls. The disaster Armitage never mentioned back in 2017. “Oh no, this is going bad straight off here. Tiger’s going to think I’m an idiot,” Armitage thought in that moment.

The irony cuts deep. Back in 2017, Armitage told the European Tour: “There was no reason for me to be nervous next to Tiger, he’s just a human at the end of the day. It’s not like I play off 18 or 20 and I’m scared of hitting the backs of his legs or something.”

Except that’s exactly what happened. “He’s looking at me thinking, ‘Who is this kid?'” Armitage said.

The setup for this disaster began during Armitage’s practice round alongside Sam Walker and Rocky. He spotted someone walking down the eighth hole. His playing partners wound him up, claiming it was Joel Larner. Armitage corrected them—Joel Carver. When the figure reached the tee, Armitage asked: “Hey Joel, when’s the big cat getting in here?”

“Well, he’s due to be here at 10, 12,” came the response. “So after 9 hours, I was straight in just waiting on the range, waiting for Tiger to come on,” Armitage recalled. Graeme Storm was hitting balls next to Tiger. The moment Storm vacated that spot, Armitage pounced. Straight over. Right next to the 14-time major champion. Then he threw his balls down.

Despite the chaos, Armitage wasn’t leaving without his autograph. He’d worn that red Nike shirt—Tiger’s signature color—specifically for this moment.

“As soon as I saw an angle, I was straight in. So he’s turned around just sort of yawning into his caddy, you know, maybe just stretching. Boom. Yeah. Straight in. All right. I’m Marcus, you know. Brilliant. Like. One here. Any chance you got it? Yeah. Yeah. Brilliant.”

Tiger signed the shirt while Armitage was wearing it. Also signed his driver and posed for a photo. “I’ve still got it at home,” Armitage confirmed. Looking back, Armitage recognized something deeper.

It was his rookie season. Armitage experienced setbacks early in his career, including losing his European Tour card and facing personal challenges before his 2021 breakthrough. The Desert Classic was a fleeting opportunity. He spent it chasing autographs.

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From nervous rookie to confident tour winner

The transformation since 2017 tells its own story. By 2021, Armitage had won the Porsche European Open in an emotional victory dedicated to his late mother. That breakthrough win changed everything—not just his status on tour, but his confidence in belonging among the elite.

The 2024-2025 season reinforces that evolution. Runner-up at Ras Al Khaimah. Tied fifth at both the Porsche Singapore Classic and the FedEx Open de France. Tied tenth at the BMW PGA Championship. Consistent finishes replace the uncertainty of first reserve status.

“The Bullet”—Armitage’s nickname—now carries himself differently. He’s comfortable sharing the embarrassing moments because they no longer define him. The framed red Nike shirt hanging in his home isn’t about the chaos. It’s about the journey from that awkward rookie to a player who belongs on tour.

Tiger’s signature hasn’t faded. Neither has the memory of scattered golf balls. But the nervous kid who pelted his idol became a winner who can laugh at where he started.