This article is part of our Weekly PGA Recap series.
It was the perfect way for Tiger Woods to win again.
Winning at Bay Hill just a couple of months into his comeback would've been oh-so-fitting. Winning the Masters would've sent the golf world into DEFCON 1.
But having this play out over eight months, tuning in week after week to watch all the ups and downs, and twist and turns, and close calls and gasps, much like we would watch a TV drama over an entire season, only to have the cliffhanger revealed at the last possible moment in the season finale … well … Tiger Woods winning the final tournament of the PGA Tour season was simply perfect.
The drama had built and built and built until finally, on an early autumn Sunday at East Lake Golf Course in Atlanta, Woods won the Tour Championship by two strokes over Billy Horschel for his first victory in more than five years.
It also was the 80th title in Woods' career, leaving him two behind Sam Snead's all-time mark.
"Eighty is a big number," Woods told reporters. "I've been sitting on 79 for about five years now, and to get 80 is a pretty damned good feeling.''
Miraculously, the soon-to-be 43-year-old Woods almost won the entire FedEx Cup playoffs, but thanks to a final birdie on 18, Justin Rose captured that title. While the Englishman did just enough to secure the $10 million bonus, his tie for fourth was not enough for him to hold onto his No. 1 ranking
It was the perfect way for Tiger Woods to win again.
Winning at Bay Hill just a couple of months into his comeback would've been oh-so-fitting. Winning the Masters would've sent the golf world into DEFCON 1.
But having this play out over eight months, tuning in week after week to watch all the ups and downs, and twist and turns, and close calls and gasps, much like we would watch a TV drama over an entire season, only to have the cliffhanger revealed at the last possible moment in the season finale … well … Tiger Woods winning the final tournament of the PGA Tour season was simply perfect.
The drama had built and built and built until finally, on an early autumn Sunday at East Lake Golf Course in Atlanta, Woods won the Tour Championship by two strokes over Billy Horschel for his first victory in more than five years.
It also was the 80th title in Woods' career, leaving him two behind Sam Snead's all-time mark.
"Eighty is a big number," Woods told reporters. "I've been sitting on 79 for about five years now, and to get 80 is a pretty damned good feeling.''
Miraculously, the soon-to-be 43-year-old Woods almost won the entire FedEx Cup playoffs, but thanks to a final birdie on 18, Justin Rose captured that title. While the Englishman did just enough to secure the $10 million bonus, his tie for fourth was not enough for him to hold onto his No. 1 ranking – that has been returned to Dustin Johnson, who finished third.
But those are mere subplots to Tiger Woods – sub-sub-subplots, really. (Oh, and here's another subplot: Let's see how Woods did against an NFL Sunday when the TV ratings come out on Monday.)
To briefly recap Woods' situation: He has had four back surgeries. He had trouble walking, sitting, sleeping. A year ago he couldn't swing a club. His career was over – or so just about all of us had thought for quite some time. And then we saw him last December at the Hero World Challenge, and he played well … and then we saw him notch a top-25 at Torrey Pines in January … and then consecutive runners-up at two Florida tournaments … and WOH! HE'S REALLY GONNA DO THIS. HE'S BACK!
Of course, it took a little time, as Woods guided everyone on a magical ride of unimaginable highs and near-misses through the spring and summer. But in the last tournament of the season, there was no miss.
Woods had such a big lead on Sunday – six shots at one point – that basically the whole back nine was anticipation. And a coronation. With a final tap-in on 18, playing partner Rory McIlroy gave him a hug. And then McIlroy's caddie did. And then it was his own caddie, Joe LaCava, who had stayed loyal through years of starts and stops, and inactivity. Then Woods was fist-bumped by Roger Maltbie and was congratulated by Justin Thomas and Rickie Fowler and Horschel and Rose.
"All of a sudden it hit me that I was going to win the tournament. I started tearing up a little bit," Woods said of when that tap-in disappeared into the cup. "I can't believe I pulled this off."
Woods is now up to No. 13 in the world. At this point, it's hard to see why he can't get back to No. 1. He may never catch Jack Nicklaus at 18 majors, and for some people that will always be the litmus test for Best Golfer Ever. But what if Woods overtakes Snead with 83-plus? Even if there are no more majors, that accomplishment, together with a comeback on the short list of the greatest in sports, might nudge some Nicklaus supporters into the Woods camp.
In fact, you have to think that some people switched allegiances on Sunday, when something no one ever thought would happen, happened. After all, less than two years ago, Woods wondered whether he would even live pain-free, much less play golf, much less win at golf.
"I've still got a chance to play some more golf and maybe I'll keep chipping away at that [Snead] number and maybe surpass it," Woods told reporters. "But I just think that what I've gone through and what I've dealt with, I've gotten lucky, to be honest with you. I've gotten very lucky."
The same could be said for all the golf fans who've watched Woods become Tiger Woods again.
MONDAY BACKSPIN
Justin Rose
Is Rose happy? Unhappy? He didn't win the tournament. But he won the $10 million bonus for winning the overall playoffs. On the other hand, he lost the No. 1 ranking he attained just two weeks ago. However you slice it, Rose completed the best season of his long career. He's about five years younger than Woods, and you could see him playing well for at least a few more years – as long as his sometimes balky back behaves.
Dustin Johnson
It seems fitting that Johnson finished the season by regaining the No. 1 ranking. He didn't win a major, he didn't win a playoff event. But his solo third at East Lake was his eighth top-three of the season. Just remarkable consistency. Of course, just about every golfer would take majors over the No. 1 ranking, and Johnson is still stuck on only one. And winning majors, with all those OWGR points, makes it so much easier to stay on top.
Billy Horschel
Horschel didn't win his second FedEx Cup, but did finish second on Sunday to complete another brilliant playoffs. Horschel is hard to figure out. He's won five times in the past six years with five runners-up in that time, but he's also gone through long stretches of poor play. Horschel is a great iron player – third in greens in regulation – and that type of play never goes out of style. He is up to No. 35 in the world, his best position since 2014.
Hideki Matsuyama
Matsuyama tied for fourth, and he probably doesn't want the season to end. After not getting a top-10 for nine months, he notched two top-fives in the past three weeks. Matsuyama has fallen from fifth in the world at the start of the year to 20th now. Getting back to the top-five will be hard, but the Japanese star should be able to approach the top-10 next season.
Rickie Fowler
Fowler returned from injury to notch top-10s in the final two playoff events, tying for seventh on Sunday. But he had only four others all season. Despite being No. 9 in the world, it was another winless season for the Greatest Player Without a Major. Fowler remains stuck on four career wins, and he'll turn 30 in December. He may get his major at some point, but you have to think Fowler is wasting valuable years in what could've been a remarkable career.
Rory McIlroy
Once again, McIlroy was in the final group of a big tournament on Sunday and, once again, he put up little fight. McIlroy shot a 4-over 74, and only one golfer in the 30-man field was worse. He cowered alongside Patrick Reed at the Masters, he didn't challenge Justin Thomas at the WGC-Bridgestone. McIlroy is still No. 6 in the world, but that seems flimsy. And you wonder what will happen to McIlroy this week when he can face them again at the Ryder Cup.
Brooks Koepka
Koepka had a chance to win the playoffs, had a chance to take over the top ranking. But he never came close, tying for 26th in the field. That only will add to the thinking that Koepka gets out of bed only for the majors. He of course won two of them this season, and that should be enough for him to win Player of the Year. But the "regular" tournaments do seem to be a concern.
Patrick Reed
Reed, the so-called Captain America, will be called upon to deliver great things for Team USA this week in Paris. He may come up large, but he has shown hardly any form for months now. His last top-10 was at the U.S. Open in June. Reed finished 28th at East Lake. The Ryder Cup is a completely different animal, but don't be too surprised if Captain America struggles against a European superhero.
Phil Mickelson
Mickelson finished last in the field, 24 strokes behind Woods. His slump extends even longer than Reed's, as Mickelson's last top-10 was in May. Mickelson could be a weak link for the U.S. team this week, and his head-to-head duel with Woods at Thanksgiving now seems a huge mismatch.
Jordan Spieth
Spieth – DNP. The only member of the U.S. Ryder Cup team not to play in the Tour Championship. The team plane ride to Paris had to be a difficult one for Spieth. Let's see how he'll enjoy the return trip.
