Two weeks after another injury scare, and two days before his former coach's book goes on sale, Tiger Woods looked dominant as ever in that red shirt on Sunday to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Tiger Woods holds up the championship trophy after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament at Bay Hill in Orlando on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap News)
It was his first PGA Tour victory since a sex scandal at the end of 2009 led to one of the greatest downfalls in sports. And with the Masters only two weeks away, Woods looks more capable of ever than resuming his pursuit of Jack Nicklaus in the majors.
Woods closed with a 2-under 70 for a five-shot win over Graeme McDowell.
The question two weeks ago was when he could play again. Now, it's whether he can get back to player who once ruled golf.
Even though he won the unofficial Chevron World Challenge last December, this was meaningful for Woods _ a full tour event against a strong field, and a performance so clean that he was never seriously challenged on the back nine.
The final hole was a mere formality, and Woods tapped his putter on the ground waiting for his turn, knowing that 30 months without a win on the PGA Tour was about to win. He walked off the green with his arm extended, waving his cap to a raucous gallery.
``It does feel good. It feels really good,'' Woods said before signing his card. ``It's been a lot of hard work.''
Woods finished at 13-under 275 for his 72nd PGA Tour win, one short of Nicklaus for second place on the career list. But that's not the record Woods wants. He has 14 majors, four shot of the Nicklaus standard, and he tries to end a four-year drought at the Masters, which starts April 5.
``I am excited, no doubt,'' Woods said. ``I'm looking forward to the momentum I've built here.''
It was the first time Woods had all four rounds under par since he returned from his personal crisis at the 2010 Masters.
McDowell made a 45-foot birdie putt and a 50-foot eagle putt early in the round to try to stay close, though he was never closer than two shots after starting with a double bogey. He closed with a 74.
Ernie Els failed in his bid to get into the Masters. The three-time major champion started the final round three shots behind, but twice missed par putts inside 3 feet and shot 75. He would have needed a two-way tie for second to crack the top 50 in the world. Instead, he tied for fourth and will have to win the Houston Open next week to avoid missing the Masters for the first time since 1993.
This day belonged to Woods, as it used to at Arnie's place.
Only two weeks ago, Woods was taken off Doral in the middle of the final round with tightness in his left Achilles tendon, the same injury that caused him to miss three months last year, including two majors. It turned out to be a mild strain, and Sunday was the eighth straight day that Woods played golf _ starting with a practice round last Sunday at Augusta.
His injuries have received more attention in the last year than the personal life crisis that cost him his marriage and corporate support. But in the last week, Hank Haney's book _ ``The Big Miss'' _ was mailed out to various media outlets, another distraction for Woods.
The book is go on sale Tuesday, and while it deals mainly with Haney's six years teaching Woods, it raises questions about Woods' fascination with the Navy SEALs and whether that contributed to his injuries, and it portrays Woods as self-centered and rarely satisfied, a side of him that Woods has sought to keep private for so many years.
The win at Bay Hill, his record seventh in the event, puts the focus back on golf.
``He was a man on a mission today,'' caddie Joe LaCava said. ``He was pretty jacked up. He was out there to prove himself.''
Woods goes to No. 6 in the world, his first time back in the top 10 since May 22. He had gone 923 days _ dating to Sept. 13, 2009 _ since he last won on the PGA Tour at the BMW Championship. And it was his first win on any tour since Nov. 15, 2009, when he won the Australian Masters at Kingston Heath.
Twelve days later, Woods ran his car into a fire hydrant, and revelations poured on about his extramarital affairs. He has not been the same since then, and players began to wonder if his mystique could ever return.
This was a step. A big step. Woods renewed his reputation as golf's greatest closer, winning for the 38th time in 40 attempts when he had the lead going into the final round.
It was McDowell who took down Woods in shocking fashion at the end of 2010 by rallying from four shots down to beat him at the Chevron World Challenge, something long considered unthinkable. And it was McDowell, speaking for so many others on tour, who suggested last August that the red shirt on Sunday was not as intimidating as once was.
McDowell gave Woods a big cushion on the opening hole when his approach buried so badly in the bunker that only the top half of the ball could be seen. He blasted out through the green into another bunker and made double bogey. That gave Woods a three-shot lead, and McDowell never got closer than two the rest of the way. (AP)
<관련 한글 기사>
'돌아온 골프황제' 우즈, 2년 반 만에 승리
오랫동안 슬럼프에 빠졌던 '호랑이 골퍼' 타이거 우즈(37•미국)가 부활의 샷을 성공적으로 날렸다.
우즈는 25일(현지시간) 미국 플로리다주 올랜도 베이힐 골프장(파72•7천381야드)에서 끝난 미국프로골프(PGA) 투어 정규대회인 아널드 파머 인비테이셔널(총상금 600만 달러)에서 우승하고 포효했다. 우승상금은 108만 달러.
우즈가 PGA 투어 대회에서 우승컵을 들어 올린 것은 2009년 9월 BMW 챔피언십 이후 2년6개월 만이다.
전체 정규 대회로는 2009년 11월 호주 마스터스 이후 2년4개월 만이다.
우즈는 1타 차 선두로 그레임 맥도웰(북아일랜드)과 시작한 마지막 라운드에서 버디 4개를 잡고 보기는 2개로 막아 2타를 더 줄여 최종합계 13언더파 275타로 리더 보드 맨 위에 이름을 올렸다.
단독 2위로 4라운드를 시작한 맥도웰은 1번홀(파4)부터 더블보기를 기록하며 추 격 의지를 잃는 모습이었다.
맥도웰은 6번홀(파5)에서 이글을 잡았지만 보기를 4개나 범해 결국 2타를 줄이 는데 그쳐 승부를 뒤집지 못했다.
이로써 2010년 12월 셰브론 월드 챌린지에서 맥도웰과 맞대결을 펼쳐 연장전에서 분루를 삼켰던 우즈는 1년3개월 만에 통쾌한 설욕전을 펴면서 PGA 투어 승수를 7 2승으로 늘렸다.
메이저 대회에서만 14차례 우승한 우즈는 2009년 11월 호주 마스터스 이후 스캔 들과 부상으로 오랜 침체기를 보냈다.
최근에는 2주 전에 열린 월드골프챔피언십(WGC) 캐딜락 챔피언십 최종 라운드에 서 아킬레스건 통증을 이유로 기권, 슬럼프가 더 길어질 것이라는 분석도 나왔다.
그러나 이번 대회에서 당당하게 우승함으로써 내달 5일 미국 조지아주 오거스타 내셔널 골프장에서 개막하는 PGA 투어 시즌 첫 메이저 대회(마스터스)에서의 우승도 노릴 수 있게 됐다.
1986년 주간 단위의 세계 골프랭킹 제도가 도입된 후 최장인 623주 동안이나 1위를 오르내린 우즈는 메이저 대회 승수에서는 최고 기록을 보유한 잭 니클라우스( 미국)의 18승에 4승 뒤져 있다.
한국(계) 선수 중에는 재미교포 나상욱(케빈 나•29•타이틀리스트)이 최종합계 로 5언더파를 쳐 공동 4위에 올라 성적이 가장 좋았다.
1, 2라운드에서 각각 6언더파와 4언더파를 쳐 우즈와 함께 공동 1위를 지켰던 위창수(찰리 위•40•테일러메이드)는 3, 4라운드에서 각각 4타와 6타를 까먹으면서 최종합계 이븐파를 기록해 공동 29위로 추락했다.
노승열(21•타이틀리스트)은 20위를 차지했고, 최경주(42•SK텔레콤)는 4라운드 에서만 5오버파의 부진한 성적으로 공동 36위에 그쳤다.
앤서니 김은 마지막 날 11오버파를 쳐 최종합계 10오버파로 공동 66위에 자리했다. (연합뉴스)
