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Devlina Sarkar is a Newsweek contributor based in New Delhi, India. Her focus and passion is all things golf, as well as film. Devlina has been with Newsweek since February, 2025 and previously wrote for The Indian Express and iTV Network. Devlina is a graduate of Delhi University having also studied at the University of London. You can get in touch with Devlina by emailing d.sarkar@newsweek.com.
Devlina Sarkar
Contributing Sports Writer
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Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Tiger Woods may not have teed up at a competitive golf event since TGL, but on Tuesday, he managed to steal the spotlight anyway at the Tour Championship without swinging a club.
PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 16: Tiger Woods of the United States and Justin Thomas of the United States walk across the ninth hole during the first round of the The Genesis Invitational at Riviera…
PACIFIC PALISADES, CALIFORNIA – FEBRUARY 16: Tiger Woods of the United States and Justin Thomas of the United States walk across the ninth hole during the first round of the The Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club on February 16, 2023 in Pacific Palisades, California. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
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Justin Thomas was asked to share his favorite memory from past Tour Championships during the pre-tournament press conference at East Lake, and he recalled a classic Tiger story.
“Probably my best memory, and I couldn’t even tell you what year it was, it was probably — I guess it would have been 2020,” Thomas told reporters on Tuesday while stressing to remember the day.
“I remember playing here (East Lake), playing a practice round and walking down 18 and FaceTiming Tiger because he wasn’t here and didn’t qualify, just showing him how the course was and how great it was. And then he acted like his phone cut out.”
But here’s the twist, Woods wasn’t done with the call yet.
“Then he called me back two minutes later with the (Masters) green jacket on,” Thomas continued during the same conversation. “I remember that very, very, very vividly.”
Though hilarious, it was a classic Woods move dripping with GOAT energy. And Thomas knew he’d been played.
“Just a typical conversation of thinking I am having some kind of upper edge,” Thomas added during Tuesday’s conference, “and I get shut down and put in my place pretty quickly.”
Woods hasn’t played competitively since playing at his TGL in February due to lingering ankle issues. He’s been recovering from surgery and focusing on his TGL indoor golf league, which returns in December. But moments like this prove his presence in the sport is still magnetic, even when he’s not on any leaderboard.
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