The hardest part of picking 50 of the finest, or most memorable, moments in the history of the major championships is that there have been so many. Inevitably there will be a bias towards those from the modern age because of the all-catching eye of television, but some moments move effortlessly across the ages - take Ben Hogan's heroics in 1950, for instance.

And what to do with Tiger Woods? He has had such an impact on the modern game that he appears time and time again. Everyone has their favourite Tiger moments, and doubtless would have put them in a different order. But which should be top of the list? A great shot, or a career-defining moment? In this instance, I have gone for a shot that few who witnessed it, thought was possible. Those selected here are just the highlights of a career in which Woods transcends the sport. For the top ten, however, I have chosen those events that we will still be talking about many years from now.

50. Young Tom comes of age

The year after his father was the oldest winner of the Open, "Young Tom" Morris became the youngest, winning by two shots at Prestwick in 1868. He was just 17 years and 161 days old and remains the youngest to have won the championship.

49. Bradshaw's bottle trick

Harry Bradshaw, of Ireland, was in contention at the 1949 Open at Sandwich when he found his ball resting in the bottom of a broken bottle. Playing the ball "as it lies" he advanced it just 30 yards, dropped a shot, and eventually finished tied for the lead with Bobby Locke, who went on to win in a play-off.

48. Mickelson's winning flop shot

After winning his first major at the Masters the year before, Phil Mickelson followed up in the 2005 US PGA Championship at Baltusrol with a shot of genius that brought him his second major. Playing the final hole, Mickelson treated the galleries to a trademark flop shot from thick, clinging rough, that finished two feet from the hole and set up a winning birdie.

47. Monty's luck runs out

At the 1995 US PGA Championship at Riviera CC, Colin Montgomerie shot 68, 67, 67, 65 to set a mark of 267 that equalled the best aggregate in a major. Unfortunately for the Scot, Steve Elkington came in with a 64, holing a 25-foot putt on the 72nd hole for a birdie and drawing level before going on to take the title at the first hole of a sudden-death playoff.

46. Payne Stewart, Pinehurst's finest

At 42, Payne Stewart's best days were behind him. But when his 20-foot putt dropped at the last at Pinehurst to bring him the 1999 US Open title, there were few that begrudged him his fine victory. Four months' later, he died in a plane crash.