Tiger Woods walks down memory lane at Pebble Beach

US Open

Tiger Woods was in a reflective mood ahead of this week’s US Open, with the Pebble Beach course bringing back some fond memories.

The former world number one reflected on his record-breaking win at the seaside course at the US Open in 2000, where his 12 under par finishing score was a record 15 shots ahead of his nearest rival, a major record that still stands.

“I did not hit every green…I did not hit every fairway, but I always had the proper angle,” Woods told AFP of his week at Pebble back then.

“It’s been 19 years. I still remember most of the shots I hit that week.I don’t know how I pulled it off, but on seaside poa annua (greens), I never missed a putt inside 10 feet for a week.”

Woods was the first to admit that his body is not the same as it was back then, but he still has the smarts.

“Yeah, it’s not the same body that I had back in 2000,” continued the 15-time major winner.

“I don’t think any of us have the same body we had 19 years ago. Athletically, that’s one of the challenges. How do you compete against kids that were, for me, born in the 2000s? They were born after I won this damn tournament.

“The golf ball is going further than it did back in 2000. I’m slower than I was in 2000. I am about the same distance. And so the golf course really doesn’t play that much differently for me.

“It’s just a matter of putting the ball in the right spots.”

The 119th US Open tees off at the picturesque Pebble Beach Golf Links on Thursday.

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