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Sports Words Monthly
December 2001
Vocabulary from the sporting news
 Tiger Woods
Golf
The world's number one golfer, Tiger Woods, is hoping to end the year with another win.
  
  

Tiger Woods is determined to add one more win to his list of honours before completing his playing schedule for 2001. The American world number one ends his itinerary when he hosts the Williams World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club. And he would dearly love to improve on his previous 10th and second-place finishes in the California event.

"It would be nice to end the year with another victory," he said on his official website. "But, no matter what happens, I feel good about what I accomplished this year. Five PGA Tour wins, PGA Player of the Year and, of course, winning four straight major championships. In some ways, the latter still hasn't sunk in."

Woods came into 2001 as defending champion in the British Open, the US Open and the USPGA Championship. Despite a winless run until mid-March, he ended his victory drought in style as he clinched back-to-back titles at the Bay Hill Invitational and the Players' Championship. The following week, the 25-year-old made golfing history when he sank a 15-foot birdie putt on Augusta's 18th green to seal the US Masters and become the first player to hold all four majors at once.

  
The WordsListen
 
 determined
if you are determined to do something, you really want to do it
 
  
 

itinerary
schedule or timetable
 

  
 victory
win
 
  
 

accomplished
achieved, was successful at
 

  
 

PGA
Professional Golfers' Association, the organisation that organises professional golf
 

  
 defending champion
if someone wins a competition and then returns to play the same competition the next year, they are the defending champion
 
  
 victory drought
a long period without winning
 
  
  clinched back-to-back titles
won two tournaments, one immediately after the other
 
  
  sank a 15-foot birdie putt
put the ball in the hole from a distance of 15 feet (about 5 metres) with one shot fewer than usual
 
  
 majors
the name given to the four most important golf tournaments in a year
 
  
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