Win the day
Solid finish suggests old Woods is coming
NASSAU, Bahamas — Tiger Woods won this week. He didn’t take the trophy home, but he won. Out of tournament golf since the beginning of February because of a fourth back surgery, Woods completed all four rounds of the Hero World Challenge without pain or any physical setbacks whatsoever. Along the way, he posted three out of four rounds in the 60s, something that seemed like pipe dream entering the week. While Rickie Fowler was busy scorching the Albany Golf Club en route winning the tournament with a finalround 61 to overtake thirdround leader Charley Hoffman by four shots Sunday, Woods was shooting an impressive 4-under 68. It was a higher score than the quality of golf Woods played — he had an eagle and six birdies but gave away a cheap stroke on 18 with a power lip-out for par. Woods, who shot 69 in the opening round, 68 in the second round and 75 on Saturday, finished tied for ninth place and elevated his official world ranking from the No. 1,199 he began the week as to inside the top 700. So other than not winning, the week could not have been more of a success for Woods. If this week told Woods anything, it confirmed he is healthy enough and his game is sharp enough to resume a proper playing schedule — something Woods hasn’t done since 2015. He was, as usual, coy about exactly where he’ll be playing in the near future, but you can count on Woods, a creature of habit, playing the Farmer’s Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in January, the Genesis Open in February at Riviera, the Honda Classic and the Arnold Palmer Invitational before the Masters in April.
Based on what we saw this week, Woods proved to himself that even after the long layoff, he has no problem measuring up with the world’s current elite.
“I’m excited,’’ Woods said. “This is the way I’ve been playing at home, and when I came out here and played, I was playing very similar to this. Overall, I’m very pleased. I showed some good signs. I hit some really good shots out there and a bright future.”
Woods was most pleased with the way he drove the ball this week. He was long and pretty accurate. On Sunday, he missed only 2-of-13 fairways and was 34of-52 for the week. He hit 46of-72 greens in regulation and averaged a little more than 27 putts per round.
“I think he exceeded a lot of people’s expectations,” said Fowler, who’s been playing a lot of golf with Woods at Medalist, the Florida club to which they both belong. “I wasn’t surprised with the way he played this week. I know [Saturday] was a bummer for him, but to have him out here this week and put up three rounds in the 60s … I think he surprised a lot of people. I know there was a lot of people that were shocked with his distance and the control that he had.”
Woods’ caddie, Joe LaCava, raved about “lots of positives” from the week.
“He drove it very well, got his [swing] speed back, was hitting the ball for the most part where he was looking, was hitting it both ways, just in control, got better each day,” LaCava said. “And he’s hitting it out with the young boys. He’s driving it 315ish [yards] off the tee, which makes life easier.
“You are always expecting good things, and I had a little advantage seeing him twice in the last month, so I knew it was getting better and getting closer. But I didn’t think it was going to be quite as good as it is at the moment.”
Asked if he thinks Woods can win again, LaCava said: “Of course.’’
“It’s just so weird to say that you’re excited for somebody else’s year, but it will be a fun year and I hope we duel it out a lot this upcoming year,” said Justin Thomas, who was paired with Woods on Sunday.
Thomas was asked, based on this week, if he believes the old Tiger “is back.”
“I’m sure he would say, ‘No,’ since he didn’t win,” Thomas said.
If Woods stays healthy, that will come. This week was resounding proof of that.