Golf highlights of the past 10 years

Highlights from the past 10 years of world golf selected by Reuters golf correspondent Mark Lamport-Stokes:

Player of the decade:

Until his fall from grace late in 2009, Tiger Woods, had towered over his closest rivals since the dawn of the new millennium. The American world number one, who structured his playing schedule around the biggest events, had piled up 12 majors since the end of 1999, a staggering nine more than anyone else during that time.

Renowned for his unblinkered focus and ability to almost will the ball into the hole, Woods triumphed 56 times on the PGA during the 2000s (Vijay Singh is next best on 26) while racking up tournament earnings of US$76,349,910. Woods also won a remarkable 14 of the 29 World Golf Championships titles since 1999. However, a sex scandal led to him announcing, in December 2009, that he was taking an indefinite break from golf.

Defining moment:

Woods, at the age of 25, coolly sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th green at Augusta National on April 8, 2001, to win his second Masters crown and put his name into the record books as the only player to hold all four of golf's major titles at the same time.

With a closing four-under-par 68, Woods outduelled fellow Americans David Duval and Phil Mickelson in a dramatic final-round shootout to add the prized Green Jacket to the US Open, British Open and PGA Championship titles already collected. After pumping his fist in celebration, he then pulled his cap over his face to hide tears of joy and relief, well aware he had achieved one of sport's rare moments.

Event of the decade:

The extraordinary playoff victory by Woods at the 2008 US Open, where he defied intense pain in his left knee and a double stress fracture in his shinbone to beat Rocco Mediate at the 19th extra hole, ranks as one of the greatest golf triumphs of all time. Ignoring medical advice to rest, Woods arrived at Torrey Pines in resolute mood to claim his 14th major title.

He duly did so by repeatedly pulling off breathtaking shots and sinking clutch putts, ramming in a 15-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to take the tournament into a playoff after consistently playing down the level of pain he had experienced throughout the week. Woods revealed the full extent of his discomfort two days after winning the playoff, an achievement described by Arnold Palmer as remarkable and by fellow golfing great Jack Nicklaus as phenomenal.

- Reuters