Tiger Woods didn’t just change golf—he dominated it. When he was in his prime, it often felt like the rest of the field was playing for second place before the first tee shot was even struck.
While some players rose to the challenge, plenty of others just couldn’t keep up. Whether it was the pressure, the intimidation, or just bad timing, these 15 golfers found themselves steamrolled by the Tiger Era.
15. Paul Casey
Paul Casey had the game to contend, but spent much of his prime stuck behind Tiger’s dominance. Despite a long, successful career, he never managed to capture a major title.
14. Thomas Bjorn
Bjorn had a solid career, but his near-miss at the 2003 Open (with Tiger lurking) haunted him. The Tiger aura never seemed to work in his favor.
13. Sergio Garcia
Touted as Tiger’s main rival early on, Sergio never quite lived up to the hype. The weight of comparisons and Tiger’s relentless excellence clearly took a toll.
12. Chris DiMarco
DiMarco was always the gritty underdog in Tiger showdowns—and usually came up short. His close calls in majors just happened to coincide with Tiger doing Tiger things.
11. Ernie Els
One of the best of his generation, but Tiger always seemed to block his path to greatness. Els admitted he might have won a handful more majors if not for one man.
10. Rocco Mediate
He nearly pulled off the upset of the century at the 2008 U.S. Open but couldn’t seal the deal. That epic playoff loss became the signature moment of his career, for better or worse.
9. Mike Weir
Weir grabbed a green jacket in 2003, but he could never build momentum during the Tiger reign. Injuries didn’t help, but the Tiger tidal wave certainly didn’t either.
8. Luke Donald
He climbed to world No. 1 after Tiger’s injuries, but he never contended in majors when it really mattered. The peak of his career came when Tiger wasn’t at full strength.
7. Colin Montgomerie
Monty dominated in Europe but never captured a major in the U.S. Tiger’s emergence slammed the door on what could’ve been a different legacy.
6. David Duval
Duval looked like a Tiger-slayer early on and even reached No. 1, but his game collapsed shortly after Tiger truly hit his stride.
5. Justin Rose
Rose eventually broke through with a major, but during the early 2000s, he was completely overshadowed. It took Tiger’s decline for Rose to find major glory.
4. Retief Goosen
Goosen won two U.S. Opens, but he was never seen as a real threat to Tiger. When Tiger was in the mix, Goosen was usually not.
Read More: The 15 Most Overconfident Golfers to Ever Grip a Club
3. Phil Mickelson
Yes, he had a Hall of Fame career, but Tiger kept him in second place, literally and figuratively, for years. Phil’s peak was always stuck in Tiger’s shadow.
Read More: Is Scottie Scheffler Building a Legacy Era Similar to Tiger Woods?
2. Vijay Singh
Vijay was one of the few who could go toe-to-toe with Tiger for stretches, even reaching world No. 1. But he never truly wrestled the narrative away from Woods.
Read More: 10 Retired Golfers Who Left the Game with Dignity and Grace
1. Everyone Else
Let’s be honest—Tiger didn’t just beat players, he broke them. The Tiger Era was a one-man show, and nearly everyone else was left playing catch-up.
Read More: 10 Sports Legends Who Retired Too Soon
