Tiger Woods claimed the PGA Tour Championship, more than five years after his previous tournament win, finishing off a historic comeback season.
The win helped the 42-year-old Woods capture his 80th PGA Tour victory. He is now just two PGA Tour wins behind Sam Snead, reports ESPN.
Videos by PopCulture.com
While Woods won the PGA Tour Championship, he did not win the FedEx Cup and the $10 million bonus that goes with it. Justin Rose birdied on his last hole, keeping Woods from his third FedEx title.
Although Woods had not won a tournament before Sunday’s win at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta, he had two runner-up finishes and six top 10 finishes in 17 events.
Woods started Sunday with a three-shot lead, but struggled during the back nine and dropped to No. 10. He made a comeback with a birdie at No. 13 and had consecutive bogeys during the 15th and 16th holes. At the 18th hole, he needed a perfect bunker shot and an equally perfect putt to win the tournament.
“He’s played such good golf all year that it’s just not surprising,” Phil Mickelson said of Woods, reports ESPN. “It was just a matter of time before he does win. He’s playing so well on a very difficult golf course. We all have been kind of expecting it. I’ve seen the way he’s been swinging the club and the way he’s been playing. We all knew it was just a matter of time.”
After Woods’ win, the crowd at East Lake erupted in euphoria.
My goodness. The shot of the gallery following Tiger up the 18th hole is unreal. pic.twitter.com/ffA6j9HiS4
— Jeff D Lowe (@JeffDLowe) September 23, 2018
Video showed a crowd of people rushing onto the fairway to congratulate Woods.
Amazing gallery following Tiger down the 18th before he gets his first PGA tour win since 2013. pic.twitter.com/W8tBNYrHr2
— Elliott Schwartz (@elliosch) September 23, 2018
Woods’ 2018 season was almost inconceivable last year. A series of back injuries kept him from golf and on Memorial Day in 2017, Woods was arrested for DUI near his Jupiter, Florida home after he was found asleep in his car. The toxicology report later revealed he had several drugs in his system, including THC, marijuana’s active ingredient. He later sought professional help to manage his medication.
“Certainly, this is going to be up there as one of my better accomplishments I’ve had [if I win],” Woods told NBC Sports before the tournament was over. “Just considering where I’ve been, what I’ve had to dig through and fight through and the amount of help I’ve had to have to get myself to this point. My body was a wreck.”
This was Woods’ first victory since the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2013. The 42-year-old has 14 major championships.
Photo Credit: Tim Bradbury/Getty Images
