During the first round of the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational, Bob Miller did his best to keep a respectful distance between he and his professional partner. As one of the three amateurs in his group, Nevada’s sitting governor just wanted to give golf’s rising superstar, Tiger Woods, plenty of space during his fifth start since joining the PGA TOUR.

Chasing his first professional victory, the 20-year-old Woods – whose professional debut came two months prior at the Greater Milwaukee Open – had gotten off to a fast start to begin his professional career. Through his first 19 professional rounds, Woods posted a scoring average of 67.8 and in his previous three starts at the Bell Canadian Open, Quad City Classic, and B.C. Open, he finished 11th, T-5, and T-3.

Governor Miller, a veteran of the pro-am circuit who had played with superstars such as Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, knew Woods came into the tournament intent on putting his first victory on the board. Other than making some small talk about his son who attended Stanford at the same time as Woods, he instead got an up-close look at the laser-like focus that would propel. Read more here

During the first round of the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational, Bob Miller did his best to keep a respectful distance between he and his professional partner. As one of the three amateurs in his group, Nevada’s sitting governor just wanted to give golf’s rising superstar, Tiger Woods, plenty of space during his fifth start since joining the PGA TOUR.

Chasing his first professional victory, the 20-year-old Woods – whose professional debut came two months prior at the Greater Milwaukee Open – had gotten off to a fast start to begin his professional career. Through his first 19 professional rounds, Woods posted a scoring average of 67.8 and in his previous three starts at the Bell Canadian Open, Quad City Classic, and B.C. Open, he finished 11th, T-5, and T-3.

Governor Miller, a veteran of the pro-am circuit who had played with superstars such as Michael Jordan, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer, knew Woods came into the tournament intent on putting his first victory on the board. Other than making some small talk about his son who attended Stanford at the same time as Woods, he instead got an up-close look at the laser-like focus that would propel. Read more here

Highlights of the exhibit include:

• A golf club made and used by John Shippen, ca. 1896, as the USGA reaffirmed what it means to be an “open” championship through the participation of Shippen, an African American, and Shinnecock Indian Oscar Bunn.  
• A mashie niblick used by Francis Ouimet in the 1913 U.S. Open. As a 20-year-old amateur and son of working-class immigrants, Ouimet made history in 1913 at The Country Club when he defeated Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in one of the most monumental underdog stories in sports history.
• A United Golfers Association (UGA) trophy won by Jack Shippen in 1927. African Americans excluded from private clubs and public courses formed their own organizations, providing spaces for both enjoying the game as a recreational activity and cultivating golf talent. Founded in 1925, the (UGA) offered opportunities for high-level competition for Black amateurs and professionals during decades of discrimination.
• A golf towel used by Tiger Woods in the 2008 U.S. Open. Woods redefined professional golf with his dominating play, athleticism, power, and charisma. In 2008, Woods battled through an injured knee and leg to win his ninth USGA championship in a dramatic 19-hole playoff.

The USGA Golf Museum and Library is the nation’s oldest sports museum and the world’s leading institution for the collection, preservation, interpretation and dissemination of golf history. Its collections, the world’s largest and most significant related to the game of golf, serve as the foundation of the organization’s diverse roles, services and initiatives.