Woods calls his winless ’18 season one of best years

PARAMUS, N.J. – If you were to place Tiger Woods’ 2018 season in the middle of his heyday years, when he was racking up PGA Tour wins, major championship victories and Player of the Year awards at an alarming rate, the old Tiger would have been the first to tell you it was a disappointing season, especially since he’s winless in 14 starts.

But today’s Tiger will tell you it’s one of the best years he’s ever produced.

“No doubt. No doubt,” he said Tuesday ahead of prep work for Thursday’s start in The Northern Trust at Ridgewood Country Club, the first of four events in the FedExCup Playoffs. “To go through what I’ve gone through … I didn’t know if I was going to play last year.”

After three previous procedures to his back, Woods had a “last-ditch effort,” he said, to regain his way of life, to play with his kids again and maybe tee it up with his buddies. In April 2017, two bones were fused in his spine and he slowly rebuilt his health, a battle that was joined by a fight against prescription drug medication, which he conquered.

After wondering if he’d ever play golf again, let alone on the PGA Tour, Woods has turned in a comeback for the ages.

He was 1,199th in the official world rankings last year before he played in the Hero World Challenge, a soft opening to start his comeback. After 14 starts on the Tour, he’s ranked 26th.

Although Woods is winless, he’s contended late on Sunday six times, including a tie for sixth in the British Open and a runner-up finish in the PGA Championship, his most recent start.

“This has been, as I’ve said before, this has been a blessing, but man, it’s been so special to have this opportunity again,” he said. “It’s taken me months to get my playing feels and make my adjustments. As I’ve gone through the year, my body has evolved and has changed, and so trying to keep ahead of that and make the swing adjustments, as well, that’s been interesting.”

And successful. The year isn’t over as Woods chases an 80th PGA Tour title and a third FedExCup championship.

In his first appearance in the FedExCup Playoffs since 2013, Woods, the only player to win the FedExCup twice, is committed to playing the first three events. After a one-week break, The Tour Championship ends the lucrative postseason. The following week, he’ll likely be playing in the Ryder Cup in France as one of Jim Furyk’s four discretionary picks.

Arizonans qualify for U.S. Senior Amateur

Several Arizona golfers recently qualified for the upcoming U.S. Senior Amateur, which gets under way Saturday at Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. The list includes John Schaller of Scottsdale (Logan, Utah qualifier), Al Thompson of Mesa (Las Vegas qualifier), Jeff New of Scottsdale (Willow Park, Texas qualifier), and four golfers who advanced from a qualifier in Wickenburg: Mark Coward of Paradise Valley, Dwight Hietala of Peoria and Ron Garland and Dirk Maust, both of Phoenix.

THIS WEEK ON TOUR

Ridgewood CC, Paramus, N.J. Thursday-Friday, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday 10-11:45 a.m. (Golf Channel); noon-3 p.m. (Channel 5); Sunday, 9-10:45 a.m. (Golf Channel), 11 a.m.-3 p.m. (Channel 5).

This is the first of four FedEx Cup playoff events that conclude with the Tour Championship at East Lake. Points count quadruple for the opening three events and then are reset for the Tour Championship. … Harris English and Nick Taylor moved into the top 125 to qualify for the playoffs and keep full cards for next year. Wascana CC, Regina, Saskatchewan. Thursday-Friday, 7:30-10:30 a.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday, noon-3 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel.

Lydia Ko has won three times at the Women’s Canadian Open, the first one in 2012 when she was 15, making her the youngest winner in LPGA history. … Sung Hyun Park became the third player to go over $1 million in earnings, joining Ariya Jutanugarn and So Yeon Ryu.

The Club at Snoqualmie (Wash.) Ridge. Yardage: 7,172. Par: 72. Friday-Saturday, 3-5 p.m. (Golf Channel); Sunday, 4-6 p.m. (Golf Channel).

Former British Open and Ryder Cup captain Darren Clarke makes his PGA Tour Champions debut this week, as does Chris DiMarco. … Jerry Kelly, who won his first PGA Tour Champions event here last year, leads the Schwab Cup race by $47,041 over Miguel Angel Jimenez., the only double major winner on the senior circuit this year.

— Associated Press