“Better than most… better than most… BETTER THAN MOST!”
Gary Koch’s voice climbed with every break of the ball. Then, as it kissed the right edge of the cup and dropped, the gallery at TPC Sawgrass exploded.
Tiger Woods had just drained a 60-foot, triple-breaking putt from the fringe of the 17th green. And somehow, the call — just three words, repeated — became just as iconic as the putt itself.
This wasn’t just one of the greatest moments in golf broadcasting. It was peak Tiger — pure confidence, precision under pressure, and flair when the whole world was watching.
Setup at the Stadium
March 24, 2001. Third round of The Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass.
Tiger was chasing Jerry Kelly and in the midst of one of the most dominant stretches in golf history. Just two weeks later, he’d complete the Tiger Slam.
But first — he had to deal with the infamous island green on 17.
His tee shot? Not great. Tiger later called it “a crap iron shot.” It ended up way long, on the back fringe — nearly 60 feet away, across one of the nastiest greens in golf.
It wasn’t just long. It was dangerous. The slope was severe, the pin was tucked, and Fred Funk (playing ahead) had just four-putted from a similar spot.
Tiger stood over a putt most pros would’ve been happy to lag within 4 feet. He wasn’t thinking 4 feet.
The Line No One Saw
From the broadcast booth, Johnny Miller asked, “How’s that look?”
Gary Koch watched it start to track and responded:
“That’s better than most…”
The ball started trickling, snaking its way down the slope. Koch’s voice rose.
“Better than most…”
And then, as it turned sharply to the right and disappeared into the cup:
“BETTER THAN MOST!”
Tiger’s reaction was electric — double arm raise, right-fist pump, laser-focused eyes.
In that moment, he wasn’t just contending. He was commanding.
Why It Was So Ridiculous
Let’s break down the putt:
- 60 feet
- Triple break
- Downhill over a spine
- From the fringe
- After watching others putt it off the green
World Golf Hall of Famer Bernhard Langer summed it up:
“You could put Tiger there 20 times and probably not come close to making another one.”
And yet — he made it look inevitable.
A Moment That Echoes
The phrase “Better than most” became more than a call. It became a shorthand for Tiger’s uncanny ability to rise to the moment.
Koch didn’t plan it. He wasn’t thinking about catchphrases. He was just reacting.
“You sure don’t stay up at night thinking about what you’re going to say when Tiger Woods chips in from 90 feet.”
But it stuck. Two decades later, fans chant it when replays air. The PGA Tour made tribute flags with “TW” and “Better than most” on them. The highlight is played every year during the Players broadcast — as it should be.
The Aftermath: And He Still Wasn’t Done
That birdie helped Tiger shoot 66 on Saturday. He followed it with a 67 on Monday (weather delay pushed the final round) and edged out Vijay Singh by one shot to win the tournament.
The 17th hole didn’t just give us a highlight. It gave him momentum in a tournament he would win — right before completing the Tiger Slam.
And somehow, that one putt became the moment everyone remembers.
Why It Still Hits
- It wasn’t a major. But it felt like one.
- It wasn’t Sunday. But it felt like Sunday.
- It wasn’t scripted. But it was perfect.
Tiger didn’t just sink a wild putt. He gave us a visual of what belief looks like. He read the green, trusted the line, and let the stroke go. No hesitation. No doubt.
And Gary Koch was there, saying what all of us were thinking.
“That is better than most… better than most… BETTER THAN MOST!” — Gary Koch
