Tiger Woods won the 2013 Players Championship on a golf course that he is not comfortable. TPC Sawgrass does not allow Woods to use his advantage of length off the tees. He is forced to hit irons and fairway woods and play for position.
This is Woods fourth win of 2013 and it is the earliest he has won four events in a calendar year.
Through 13 holes on Sunday at the Players, Tiger Woods was performing a clinical dismantling of Pete Dye’s diabolical TPC Sawgrass. His tee shot into the water and subsequent double-bogey on No. 14 added some stress, but he was able to regain his concentration. A birdie at No. 16 and pars at Nos. 17 and 18 completed his final round two-under par 70.
When Sergio Garcia dumped two shots into the water at the island green, No. 17, and David Lingmerth ran his birdie putt past the hole on No. 18 Woods collected career win No. 78.
Woods showed his complete game over TPC Sawgrass over the four days. He leads seven of the 14 major statistical categories on the PGA Tour.
He has moved back into the No. 1 spot on the Official World Golf Ranking and also leads the FedEx Cup standings.
The excitement and joy of getting this win was clearly visible as Woods hugged caddy, Joe LaCava, in the clubhouse when the win became official.
Winning on a difficult golf course that demands a departure from his normal routine of launching towering drives followed by crisply hit wedges to set up short birdie putts, has to be very satisfying for him. It also gives him a ton of confidence heading to Merion Country Club for the U.S. Open next month.
He announced early in his professional golf career, his goal of breaking Jack Nicklaus’ 18 career major victories.
Woods has been stuck on 14 major victories since he last won a major at the 2008 U.S. Open.
Personal problems, swing changes and injury have kept him from winning majors and closing the gap on Nicklaus.
He knows that the sands of time are slipping away. He is 37 years old with the legs of a 60-year-old man.
If he is to catch Nicklaus the time is now.
Is Tiger Woods’ comeback complete? The answer is, No, but he is getting close.
His comeback will not be complete until he adds more major titles to his already impressive total of records and accomplishments in golf.