ShareThisThis column was supposed to be about Tiger Woods' 15th major victory.
About how he could conceivably break Jack Nicklaus' record by this time next year.
About how 100 wins on the PGA Tour isn't out of the question.
Then a funny thing happened Sunday afternoon at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
Woods lost as Y.E. Yang outdueled the world's best golfer. Beat him by five strokes on the day, no less.
In the most unlikely ending of an unlikely quartet of majors this year, the South Korean fired a tidy 2-under 70 under the most pressure-packed environment golf can offer.
How many times have we seen Tiger's final-round playing partners shrivel under the sun. Wasn't Yang supposed to be the latest exhibit?
It's a breathe of fresh air for the PGA Tour, really.
No matter how many pros profess Tiger is beatable with a 54-hole lead at a major, no one had done it yet.
Think about that. Say four guys had a legit shot at catching Woods in each of his 14 wins.
That's about 60 times the field had failed. It was only a matter of time before someone like Yang came along.
He chipped in for eagle on No. 14 to break the deadlock.
When Yang three-putted the 17th hole, he bounced back with an amazing approach shot to the 475-yard No. 18 to set up the clinching birdie.
The entire final round you're thinking, "When's this guy going to blow up? Pull a Paddy (Harrington) Snowman Special or hop on the bogey train."
That never happened.
This year's major winners spoiled sentimental storylines like no other.
Angel Cabrera crushed 48-year-old Kenny Perry's hopes at the Masters.
After all he'd been through with his family, a U.S. Open victory for Phil Mickelson would have been special. Lucas Glover had other plans.
Stewart Cink is a deserving major winner, but everybody on the face of the earth was pulling for 59-year-old Tom Watson at last month's British Open.
And Yang, who becomes the first Asian-born major winner, rained on Tiger's parade.
Woods didn't win a major in 2009, the first time in five years that has happened.
He did move closer to one unfathomable Nicklaus record. This was Woods' sixth runner-up finish in a major (and second at Hazeltine). Jack has the most with 19.
Before the PGA, Woods said this year wouldn't be wasted if he went major-less.
He probably doesn't feel that way now, especially after blowing a four-shot advantage with 36 holes to go.
He has Y.E. Yang to thank for that.
(Contact Zach Duncan of the Wichita Times Record News in Texas at duncanz(at)timesrecordnews.com.)
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