Remember the words, “This is just another one of those memorable shots he made throughout his career. Look at that finish!” Does that ring a bell? Let us help. In 2019, at the WGC-Mexico Championship, Tiger Woods executed an incredible bunker escape near a tree that left the crowd in awe, leaving everyone speechless (and screaming). While many people might have forgotten that moment with Tiger Woods, who is now mostly absent from the greens, a former European Tour pro attempted to pay tribute to that memorable shot in a (failed) attempt.

While sitting down for an interview on the Sliced Podcast, Mike Lorenzo-Vera shared a story about the time he tried to recreate the iconic Tiger Woods shot. As he discussed the legends the sport has seen—including Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, and Tiger Woods—Vera began by saying, “Those guys can do things that even really good pros cannot do. I can give you one example.” He then went on to recount the memorable moment involving Tiger Woods.

In 2019, Woods made an impressive swing with a 9-iron, expertly slicing the ball from left to right to avoid the trees and curve it toward the pin at Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City. Furthermore, a lucky bounce off the left side of the green improved the shot even more, sending the ball straight toward the hole and enhancing its brilliance. It was an “outrageous” short!

Talking about the shot, Vera said, “Do you know the shot in Mexico that Tiger hit around the tree from the trap? The year after, I went there and threw six balls on Tuesday. And I look at the shot. I couldn’t even get to within 40 meters of the green. The guy almost holed the shot, with two clubs less, bending the ball more to the right. Altitude, temperature, it’s impossible to turn the ball and the guy turns the ball with a 9-iron from 140 meters 50 yards! And it’s pin high! ‘Why don’t we have majors in France?!’ Because nobody can do that!”

The most amazing thing about this particular part of the interview? You could hear the awe in Mike Lorenzo-Vera‘s voice. In fact, the shot was so incredible that a plaque now sits just outside the right fairway bunker at the par-4 ninth hole, where Woods made his remarkable shot. Amazing, right? However, the admiration for Woods’s shots is evident everywhere, even in the NBA.

Stephen Curry once tried (and failed) to recreate one iconic Tiger Woods’s shot

The NBA superstar was present at Firestone in 2023 to receive the 2023 Ambassador of Golf Award. Stephen Curry stood 168 yards from the 18th hole at Firestone Country Club, ready to replicate a memorable event. What was the iconic shot? At the 2000 NEC Invitational at Firestone Country Club, Tiger Woods made a legendary shot now famously known as the “Shot in the Dark.” Positioned on the 18th fairway, 168 yards from the hole, Woods struck a shot that landed beyond the flagstick and spun back to within two feet, earning him a birdie.

So, when Stephen Curry visited the iconic (and historic) golf course twenty-three years after Woods’s shot, he attempted to recreate it. “Since I came out here, I want to embarrass myself and try to hit that shot.” And he succeeded in doing just that! NBA star Stephen Curry struggled with his golf shots, taking multiple mulligans. Several shots went long or sliced into trouble, including bunkers. On his seventh attempt, he finally reached the green, thanks to a lucky bounce off a tree. However, his ball still didn’t come close to matching Tiger Woods’s impressive shot. Undoubtedly, it is hard to re-create the magic of this legendary golfer!