Just 12 feet of tricky terrain remained before the ball began tumbling toward the hole, leaving the Nike swoosh prominent with every revolution. But as Tiger Woods rose out of his stance and thousands around the green held their breath, those fleeting moments might truly be measured in days, weeks, months and years.
To some, it was the greatest 72nd-hole putt in a major championship, a confluence of events that were surreal and yet standard for Woods. Still, the ball that bounced along the green, caught the edge and dropped in for a birdie did not even win the 2008 U.