2018.09.23 08:40
Tiger Woods won the Tour Championship on Sunday, beating a 30-man field that included 18 of the top 20 players in the world rankings to end a five-year title drought and complete a career revival almost as inconceivable as his painful descent from the pinnacle of golf.
Woods, 42, triumphed in vintage form, owning the course at East Lake Golf Club from Day 1 with a performance that was equal parts magical and methodical. A small slip on the back nine on Sunday provided some extra drama, but Woods would not be denied.
He entered the final round with a three-stroke lead over his nearest challengers and a perfect 23-0 record when entering the final round leading by at least three strokes.
After walking off the 18th green, Woods was surrounded and hugged by golfing’s elite, including Justin Rose, the winner of the FedEx Cup playoffs, and Rickie Fowler, who was paired with Woods in the first round of this tournament.
Little in Woods’s life has been perfect in the 1,876 days since his last victory, with four back operations that left him wondering whether he would play again, but he took up here where he left off in 2013, extending his unbeaten record as a front-runner to 24-0. (He is 54-4 when he holds at least a share of the lead going into the final day).
The victory was Woods’s 80th, two short of Sam Snead’s career tour record. It is a measure of how dominant Woods was before injuries corroded his game that despite all the time he missed, he moved into a tie with Dustin Johnson for the most PGA Tour victories among active players — 19 — since the start of 2008.
He had come close to winning several times this season, with thrilling charges that enraptured galleries but ultimately fizzled. Whenever he threatened, most notably at the year’s last two majors, the British Open and the P.G.A. Championship, he could not close, a wild deviation from his prime. But Woods did not despair. He was thrilled to be healthy again, recovered from the spinal damage that derailed his transcendent career, forcing four operations over three years and long absences from competitive golf, including virtually all of 2016 and ’17.
Just last month, Woods, a 14-time major winner who averaged six tour titles a year from 1999 to 2007, said he viewed this season as one of the finest of his career, because as 2018 began, “I didn’t know what I was going to do, I just didn’t have a clue.”
By Karen Crouse and Bill Pennington,NY Times
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2018.09.23 09:09
2018.09.23 10:18
It was a pleasure to watch an old guy beating all the young turks like Rori, Justin,
Dustin, Thomas, Jordan, whoever.
The golfing world is shocked and recharged.
Maybe my golf fever may come back.
2018.09.23 11:23
Yes! for Age of 40s,but not age of 70s,ㅎ,ㅎ.(I am just kidding)
PGA player could flourish after age of 40.
VJ Singh is vivid example! He had won 22 out of 34 PGA games
after age of 40 including one Major(PGA Championship) and
he was World Ranking No 1 at age of 41.
Certainly Tiger Woods could do that as well.
Thanks for your comments! Drs Lee and Bang! KJ
2018.09.23 21:49
1876일만의 황제의 破顔大笑
Tiger is back!!!
I have never thought this day is coming.
Tiger Woods(42)has overcome all those adversities like personal
scandals and injuries requring 4 major surgeries and win PGA game
again,his 80th PGA win.
Winning of Tour Championship is much more significant compare to
win ordinary PGA game,because he has to beat 29 World elite players
like almost winning major tournament of PGA.
In hey days of Tiger Woods,it was tough to beat him because of Intimidation
factor than any golfing skill matters. Whenever players play against Tiger
on Sunday,they were shrunk down mentally as soon as they saw red shirt and
black pant of Tiger Woods.
I saw that has happened again this Sunday and most nearest competetors like
McIlroy and Rose disappearing in hurry. Tiger is back!
I have never seen that many enthusiastic fans in PGA games and that proved
his popularity and I strongly believe PGA needs Tiger Woods!
Tiger Woods certainly made World happier on this date! Congratulation! KJ