AUGUSTA, Ga. – Tiger Woods' obstacle Sunday wasn't the Masters field, or any individual golfer. It wasn't the Augusta National course.
It was emotion. The emotion welling inside and swirling around him. There was little doubt Woods would win the 61st Masters. The questions were by how much, how many records he would set along the way and how much the emotion would affect him.
Woods provided emphatic answers. He won by a record-breaking 12 shots over runner-up Tom Kite, the largest winning margin in any major played this century.
He set a multitude of other records, including the lowest 72-hole total in Masters history (270). His 18-under total tied Nick Faldo's 18-under in the 1990 British Open as the lowest in relation to par in major golf history.
He also became the youngest Masters champion and the first black to win a pro major.
As for the emotion: The truth is that might have been the only reason he didn't win by more and break more records.
"My dad told me last night: `Son, this will probably be one of the toughest rounds you've ever had to play in your life,' " Woods said. "And he was right. It was very tough because I had to deal with a lot of different emotions, a lot of different thoughts going through my head."
Woods began Sunday with a nine-shot lead over runner-up Costantino Rocca. Despite bogeys on No. 5 and No. 7 - which broke his streak of 37 consecutive holes without a bogey - Woods had an 11-stroke lead after a birdie on the par-5 11th.
After that, Woods said, he knew if he could get through Amen Corner (the 11th, 12th and 13th holes) unscathed, the tournament was his.
"Really, it was his tournament from the start," said the 47-year-old Kite, whose second-place finish was his best since he won two tournaments in 1993. "It looks like people are going to be playing for a silver medal for a lot of years here."
Really, this was Woods' tournament from the time he shot a back-nine 30 on Thursday. That had followed a front-nine 40.
In years to come, that 40 will become a big part of the Woods legend. It is the worst opening-nine total ever by a Masters winner.
The fact Woods turned that opening 40 into the widest victory margin in Masters history speaks volumes about how easily he toyed with Augusta National.
Woods bogeyed just three of the remaining 63 holes. He played those 63 holes in 22-under. For the tournament, he played the the par-5s in 13-under, and the back-nine holes in a record 16-under. That's domination.
"Certainly, to shoot 18-under par on this course, as difficult as it played all week, is an incredible feat," Kite said. "I don't care what race he is. He's a golfer. He's a great kid. He's a nice person. He's got very high standards.
"His parents did a hell of a job raising him. They ought to be very proud."
The fact Woods shot a 69 - amid electricity and chaos unlike Augusta National has ever experienced - says plenty about Woods' focus and mind-set. Since he had such a commanding lead, the majority of the crowd followed him for most of the 18 holes Sunday.
The bigger his lead grew, the more rowdy the crowd got. After Woods hit an approach shot at 15, a young boy reached across the gallery rope and slapped Woods on the back. Woods, at the time, was reacting in frustration because he was unhappy with the shot.
On the 18th tee box, a photographer snapped a picture of Woods during his backswing, and snapped two more during his downswing. The shot went 80 yards left of the fairway. The crowd swarmed around Woods' ball so quickly that he lost sight of his caddie, Mike Cowan.
Woods hit his approach to No. 18 about 20 feet behind the hole, leaving a tough two-putt to break the tournament record of 271 - set in 1965 by Nicklaus and tied by Raymond Floyd in 1976.
"My focus never left me," Woods said. "Even with all the ovation I got, and everybody cheering me on, I knew I had to take care of business first."
When it was over, after Woods knocked in a four-foot par-saving putt on 18 for the four-round Masters record, playing partner Rocca joined the gallery in applause.
"He hits the ball so much better to the greens than when he first came out," Rocca said. "In the U.S. Open as an amateur last year, he tried to hit the ball hard on every shot. Now, he has the ability to punch some shots."
The memory of Woods on No. 18 may have to last a while. His agent, Hughes Norton, said Sunday that Woods will not play the next two weeks. He said Woods may not play another PGA Tour event until the May 15-18 GTE Byron Nelson Classic.
Woods' father, Earl, is coming off two heart surgeries two months ago. But he was there at No. 18 to hug Tiger, and he plans to be in Dallas for Woods' May 12 youth clinic.
"What a great, great job," Earl Woods said. "It's marvelous when a kid can go out there and execute a game plan, maintain his poise, be patient and hit the shots. That's hard to do when you're a seasoned professional."
