Out of woods and into glory

TIGER Woods’s storybook Tour Championship victory was part coronation, part rock concert.

Thousands of fans broke through the ropes, trampled PGA Tour security regulations and walked on the 18th fairway at East Lake Golf Club as Woods completed one of the most remarkable individual comebacks in sporting history.

Not even police could stop the crowd witnessing his first win in five years, as he closed with a one-over-par 71 for 11under — two ahead of Billy Horschel (66).

“I figured security would hold them back,” Woods said.

“When I got down to the (the green), I looked back and half the fairway was covered.”

He said the scenes at his 80th PGA Tour victory were unlike any previous triumph.

The 42-year-old’s first worldwide win since the 2013 WGC-Bridgestone leaves him two shy of Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour titles.

“I’ve been on 79 for five years now; to get 80 is a pretty damn good feeling,” he said.

Having sat on the sidelines for 10 months last year while recovering from spinal fusion surgery, Woods entertained never playing golf again.

“The low point was not knowing if I’d ever be able to live pain-free again,” he said.

Yesterday, his Tour Championship win pocketed him $US1.62 million ($A2.2 million) but it was nothing like the clinical finishes of his worldbeating prime.

He started the day with a three-shot lead and at one stage increased that to five.

But he bogeyed the 10th and responded with a birdie three holes later, before consecutive bogeys had fans nervous.

When Woods hammered a 325m drive down the fairway on the last, winning was a formality.

“It was a grind out there but I loved every minute of it,” he said. “I had a hard time not crying on the last hole.

“Once I got the ball on the green I gave (caddie) Joey (LaCava) a high five because it was done.”

Australian Jason Day (68) finished at two under while Cameron Smith (68) was evenpar and Marc Leishman (71) was one over.