Hindered by the dawdling pace of play and a faulty driver, Woods nevertheless polished off another tour de force around these parts on a sun-splashed Monday to win the delayed Farmers Insurance Open for the seventh time.
Struggling but never in any danger of collapsing over the final 11 holes on the South Course at seaside Torrey Pines, Woods finished at 14 under par with his even-par 72 in the final round to win his 75th career title by four shots over defending champion Brandt Snedeker and Josh Teater.
The win bodes well for Woods — and not so much for his colleagues.
In the six previous seasons that Woods won the Farmers, he never won fewer than four tournaments that year. That included eight wins twice and years of seven, six and five victories. The year he won four — in 2008 — he played just six events as he had season-ending surgery to his left knee following his win in the U.S. Open — at Torrey Pines.
In five of those six years when he won the Farmers, Woods triumphed in a major championship. The lone year he didn't pull a Farmers-major double was 2003.
Woods didn't know those statistics. But he does know good things are ahead.
"I'm excited about this year," said Woods, who refined his new swing with coach Sean Foley and worked hard on his short game in the offseason. "I was excited about what I did last year, winning three times. And I felt really good about what we're working on. Does it feel good? Yes. Does it give me confidence? Absolutely. This was a nice way to start the year."
Woods' caddie, veteran Joe LaCava, is excited, too.
LaCava was there every step of the way last year as Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, the Memorial at Muirfield Village and the AT&T National at Congressional.
After Monday's victory, LaCava said he sees an even better version of his man this year, citing the continued work on his rebuilt swing and a much improved short game.
"I think what's great is I'm seeing him play more naturally and with more feel," LaCava said. "I know he has a lot of confidence. He is so confident that he can take the driver, when he really needs to, and aim it at trouble and cut it away from the trouble right into the center of the fairway.
"That's why I know he has it."
Woods had everything else working this week — at least until Monday's cold, extremely slow final 11 holes. After increasing his lead to eight, Woods, No. 2 in the official world golf rankings, battled a wayward driver and finished with two bogeys and a double-bogey in his final five holes.
"It got a little ugly at the end," Woods said. "I lost my patience because of the slow play, and I lost my focus there a bit.
" … I hit the ball well. Pretty much did everything well this week, and built myself a nice little cushion. I had some mistakes at the end. But all my good play before that really allowed me to afford those mistakes."
Before the last six holes, however, Woods rarely made a mistake. He's once again feasting on par-5s, as he was 12 under on them this week. He had 27 one-putt greens and just one three-putt. He made a tournament-leading 21 birdies and added two eagles. And without having to spend as much time this offseason on his rebuilt swing, Woods has turned his attention to his short game, and consequently, he said it is back.
"I drove the ball beautifully all week. And my short game was back to where I know it can be," said Woods, who likely will next play in the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship in four weeks. "It was nice to be able to not hit so many golf balls and work on my short game. I think that's where you're seeing the rounds evolve. I'm saving a shot here, saving a shot there, and that's leading to a birdie here and a birdie there. Next thing you know, it's a three-, four-shot swing."
It's a total package that looks extremely difficult to beat.
"I don't think anybody would have beaten him this week," said Nick Watney, the 2009 Farmers champion who finished in a tie for fourth. "He's definitely on his game. When he gets like that, you've got to play your best to compete, and unfortunately, I didn't today. But I'd love to have a shot at him sometime."
So, Woods was asked, does another victory at Torrey Pines, by four shots yet, mean that you are back, ready to climb back to the top?
"I never left," Woods said.
Tiger at Torrey
Tiger Woods on Monday added his seventh victory in the Farmers Insurance Open. Each of the previous six years he won at Torrey Pines turned out to be pretty successful:
1999: Eight PGA Tour wins, one major (PGA)
2003: Six PGA Tour wins
2005: Six PGA Tour wins, two majors (Masters, British Open)
2006: Eight PGA Tour wins, two majors (British Open, PGA)
2007: Seven PGA Tour wins, one major (PGA)
2008: Four PGA Tour wins, one major (U.S. Open)*
*Woods played only six events in 2008 because of knee surgery.
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