Tiger is roaring again
McIl roy left in shadow of one of the greatest sporting come backs
TIGER Woods staged one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history amid incredible scenes in Atlanta last night as he won the season-ending Tour Championship — his first victory in five years.
On a day when Rory McIlroy’s anticipated final round charge never materialised and Justin Rose won the FedEx Cup, Woods rolled back the years at East Lake in front of thousands of fans chanting his name on the 18th fairway.
The 14-time major winner last tasted victory when he won the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in August, 2013 and was then written off as his career imploded amid injury and marital problems.
“It was hard not to cry on the last hole,” said Woods who claimed the 80th PGA Tour title of his career, finishing on 11 under and two shots clear of Billy Horschel.
“I said, ‘Hey I could still blade this thing out of bounds’. Once I got the ball on the green I gave Joey (La Cava, his caddie) a high five because it was was done and I could handle that from there.
“At the start of the year this was a tall order but as the year went on I knew I could do it again.”
World number five McIlroy (left) finished tied for seventh after a four over par 74 left him on five under par.
Woods’ victory adds even more anticipation to the Ryder Cup, with the action set to get under way this weekend.
Holding a three-shot lead into the final round, the 42-year-old ensured he would claim all the headlines, holding his arms aloft in celebration after a brilliant win which many thought would never happen again.
Woods has now won 55 of 58 PGA Tour events when holding the 54-hole lead.
England’s world number one Rose finished tied fourth to secure the overall FedEx Cup which determines the season-long PGA Tour champion.
Rose birdied the 18th for a 73 to seal the top-five finish he needed to win the $10m (£7.6m) bonus on offer as FexEx Cup champion.
Rose said: “I guess it all boiled down to the 18th and I had the swing of the week off the tee there.
“I had a jumpy 7-iron lie and it caught a break, killed it in the top of the bunker and bobbled on to the green. I was waiting for a break all day and to get it on the last was great timing.
“I felt more pressure as I was throwing it away, but when I got back to knowing what I had to do I clicked into gear in the nick of time.
“We’re all delighted for Tiger, this is crazy scenes and I’m sure I’m not the most popular guy for making birdie on the last but hey, he’s got enough money.”
Meanwhile, England’s Tom Lewis is relishing a return to the spotlight after surviving a nerve-wracking finish to win his second European Tour title in the Portugal Masters.
Seven years after winning the same event in just his third start as a professional, Lewis carded a final round of 66 in Vilamoura to finish 22 under par, three shots ahead of compatriot Eddie Pepperell and Australia’s Lucas Herbert.
Lewis began the day two shots behind Herbert, but birdied four of the first eight holes and recovered from a bogey on the 10th with further gains on the 11th and 13th to hold a one-shot lead over playing partner Herbert.
The 27-year-old looked set to lose that advantage after driving into the water on the 17th, but holed from 30 feet for an unlikely par and then saw Herbert’s tee shot on the 18th also find a watery grave.
“It’s amazing to be back here in Portugal, to play the way I played and to have the crowds we had. I feel great right now,” said Lewis, who held a share of the lead in the 2011 Open after an opening 65, the lowest round by an amateur in championship history.
“It’s unbelievable, I’m so happy. It’s been a rough ride, but this week I played hard, I got off to a bad start and to finish the way I have has been brilliant.”
Tipped for stardom after his performance in the Open, Lewis turned professional after helping Great Britain and Ireland win the 2011 Walker Cup, but struggled to build on his first victory in Portugal and had to regain his card via the qualifying school in 2016.
“I lost that fame as such, eyes looking at me and it was probably something I didn’t really want at the time,” Lewis said.
“Now I want it more than ever so hopefully I can stay where I am and keep building.
“It means a lot to win this again. The next win was always going to mean more because of how much I worked for it and I’m just pleased to be here right now.”