Tiger looks closer than ever to winning again

PALM HARBOR, Fla. — The red shirt didn’t have a collar. His head doesn’t have quite as much hair. His lower spine has been fused.

Everything else about Tiger Woods is starting to look familiar.

For the first time since the late summer of 2013, Woods worked the fans into a frenzy on the weekend and keep them on their toes right to the very end. He wound up one shot — one putt — short to Paul Casey in the Valspar Championship. He broke par all four rounds and tied for second, the first time he had done either of those since the start of the FedEx Cup playoffs in August 2013.

All that did was turn attention to this week at Bay Hill, where Woods has won eight times and twice ended long victory droughts.

He won the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2009 for his first victory after reconstructive knee surgery. He won there again in 2012 for his first victory since the scandal in his personal life, followed by various leg injuries.

“It’s going to be good for me to get back,” Woods said. “I’ve had some great memories there.”

There might be a chance, which is remarkable considering the most recent timeline. Woods won by seven shots at Firestone in the Bridgestone Invitational in early August 2013 for his 79th career victory on the PGA Tour and still his last one.

Back problems first began to surface a week later. The following year, he missed the Masters after back surgery and returned too soon on a couple of occasions. Another back surgery followed in September 2015, then another a month later. He returned after 15 months and lasted two starts before he had fusion surgery.

What really gets attention are the results. He still hasn’t won. By all accounts, he’s getting closer.