What clubs did Tiger Woods use to win the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines?
The 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines remains probably Tiger Woods’ most remarkable Major triumph.
Two days after finishing second in the Masters at Augusta National he had arthroscopic knee surgery to clean out cartilage.
He didn’t play again for nearly two months when he teed it up at the 2008 US Open where, despite hobbling on one leg, he somehow won over 91 holes, taking victory in an extended 18-hole play-off against Rocco Mediate.
One week later he underwent reconstructive surgery on the damaged ACL and missed the remainder of the 2008 season.
There was also the small matter of a double stress fracture in his left tibia while preparing for Torrey Pines.
Woods signed with Nike when he turned pro in 1996 and 13 of the 14 clubs were by the manufacturer.
He began using a Nike ball in 2001 and he would begin using the clubs the following season, a run that would continue until the sporting giant ceased to make clubs in 2016.
There are no prizes for guessing the 14th club – the Scotty Cameron Newport 2 putter which he used for 14 of his 15 Major successes.
Woods relied on a Nike SasQuatch Tour model driver that was a gaudy black and yellow creation and which had particularly loud acoustics.
This was famously in the bag at the 2006 Open where he only hit it once around Royal Liverpool. It would feature only 7.5˚ of loft and it had the hugely popular Mitsubishi Diamana 83X shaft, something that he had in all three of his woods.
He opted for two fairway Nike SasQuatch2 woods, a 3 and a 5-wood, the former of which was cranked beyond belief.
“It’s a strong 3-wood. It’s probably closer to 11˚ so it’s kind of like the old brassie. So even though it’s not a driver, it is a very strong 3-wood,” he explained.
Irons wise he had the Nike Forged blades from 3-PW, something that only went in the bag that season and they would be replaced by the VR blades in 2009, and then just two wedges, such was how bags were put together in 2008.
As for the ball, the one that he somehow willed into the cup at the 72nd hole to force a playoff, that was a Nike One Platinum.
In 2005 Woods used a Nike One Gold ball to famously hole out at the 16th en route to his Masters victory because the Nike One Platinum did not hit the USGA conforming list until almost a month after Augusta.
Tiger’s winning clubs in 2008
Driver: Nike SasQuatch Tour 460 (7.5˚)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana White 83 TX
3-wood: Nike SasQuatch2 (15˚)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana Blue 103 TX
5-wood: Nike SasQuatch2 (19˚)
Shaft: Mitsubishi Diamana Blue 103 TX
Irons: Nike Forged Blade (3-PW)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: Nike Pro Combo (56˚), Nike SV (60˚)
Shafts: True Temper Dynamic Gold Tour Issue S400
Putter: Scotty Cameron Newport 2 GSS
Ball: Nike One Platinum
Grips: Golf Pride Tour Velvet Cord
READ MORE: The clubs Tiger Woods used for his 1997 Masters win that shook the world