Loose Impediments: Y.E. Yang Shocks the World

The 2009 PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Club will be remembered as one of the greatest upsets in golfing history.

The final round paring of Tiger Woods and Y.E. Yang was an unlikely one. Woods held a two-shot lead entering the final round, a lead that almost seemed insurmountable in the midst of Tiger’s domination of the majors. In addition to his two-shot lead, Tiger also sported an incredible 14-for-14 record when leading after three rounds in a major. In other words, nobody gave Yang a chance.

The two went toe-to-toe in the final round with Yang refusing to become just another spectator to Tiger’s greatness. Yang seemed unfazed by the aura that made other golfers before him crumble in the presence of Woods.

The two reached the 18th hole. With Yang 210 yards away in the left side of the fairway and his view of the green blocked by a cluster of trees, Yang summoned the shot of his life, a towering hybrid shot that rocketed and flew up and over the trees landing six feet away from the hole. Yang went on to birdie the hole capturing the PGA Championship and ending Woods’ perfect record when leading after 54 holes in a major.

“It’s not like you’re in an octagon where you’re fighting against Tiger and he’s going to bite you, or swing at you with his 9-iron. The worst that I could do was just lose to Tiger. So I really had nothing much at stake.”

Yang’s victory made him the first Asian born man to win a major championship.