Golfers Often Require

GOLFERS OFTEN REQUIRE only a single hole to settle tiebreakers. But in the 2001 NEC Invitational, Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk battled through seven playoff holes to determine a winner.

Furyk led the field by two strokes heading into the tournament’s final day at Akron’s Firestone Country Club. Woods, however, tied his playing partner with an 8-foot birdie putt on hole 16. The pair finished knotted at 13-under-par.

Moving back to the 18th tee box for sudden death, Woods appeared in command when Furyk’s second shot landed in the right bunker and his third shot remained lodged in the sand. However, the former University of Arizona golfer blasted his fourth shot into the hole to save par and stay tied.

On the following three holes, Furyk missed great victory opportunities when a series of 12-foot birdie putts failed to fall. The duo struggled through six extra holes, but neither golfer could break par.

Back on 18 for the seventh playoff hole, both Woods and Furyk drove into the rough, but Furyk’s ball nestled beneath a tree, while Woods’s lay just to the right of the fairway. Woods used his wedge to pitch within two feet of the hole and sank the birdie putt. Furyk punched out of the rough and settled for bogey, giving Woods his 29th career victory. The 25-year-old’s triumph tied Jack Nicklaus for most PGA Tour wins before turning age 30.

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POINT Seven times Jim Furyk had a chance to win and couldn’t. But on the seventh try, Tiger Woods finally claimed the victory.

In the Bible, the number seven held great significance to the Israelites because it symbolized completion. It’s mentioned 261 times in the Old Testament and 66 times in the New.

God created the world in seven days. Seven people lived on the ark with Noah. Joseph’s dream showed seven years of plenty and seven of famine. Leviticus lists seven feasts. The battle of Jericho featured seven priests with seven trumpets surrounding the city’s walls for seven days. God cured army commander Naaman after he washed seven times in the Jordan River. Job’s friends sat with him seven days.

GOAL! Explore Scripture for other uses of the number seven. Praise God for his completeness.