The Return of Tiger
Sunday January 23, 2005
It wasn't vintage Tiger Woods on Sunday at the Buick Invitational in any regard except one: he won the tournament. Woods' Buick Invitational victory at Torrey Pines was his first win since the 2004 WGC Match Play Championship, and his first stroke-play victory since the 2003 WGC American Express Championship.
Woods earned the victory, shooting 68 in the final round to complete 10 hours of golf caused by frequent fog delays. He won by three shots over Luke Donald, Charles Howell III and Tom Lehman, and did it despite a loose swing and several mis-hits down the stretch. Woods made enough clutch putts to close it out.
It wasn't the Tiger who dominates tournaments, it was the one who survives - and finds a way to win - even when he is, by his standards alone, struggling.
What does a Tiger Woods victory bode for 2005? Nothing but good things for golf fans. In two tournaments, Woods has finished third and first. In three tournaments, Vijay Singh has one win plus a fifth (he was 24th at the Buick). In three events, Ernie Els has a third, a second and a sixth.
So Woods, Singh and Els are all off to fast starts. Whether Phil Mickelson (or Retief Goosen, Stuart Appleby or anyone else) joins the horse race is an open question. Even if Mickelson doesn't make it a quartet, the threesome of Singh, Woods and Els appear primed to provide golf fans with plenty of thrills in 2005.
For Tiger Woods, it was the 41st victory of his career. That's eigth-best on the list of career PGA Tour wins, and 16 wins ahead of his closest active competitor (Vijay Singh with 25 wins).
Photo by Zeke Quezada, About.com Las Vegas for Visitors Guide
Click to see more photos from the Buick Open
Woods earned the victory, shooting 68 in the final round to complete 10 hours of golf caused by frequent fog delays. He won by three shots over Luke Donald, Charles Howell III and Tom Lehman, and did it despite a loose swing and several mis-hits down the stretch. Woods made enough clutch putts to close it out.
It wasn't the Tiger who dominates tournaments, it was the one who survives - and finds a way to win - even when he is, by his standards alone, struggling.
What does a Tiger Woods victory bode for 2005? Nothing but good things for golf fans. In two tournaments, Woods has finished third and first. In three tournaments, Vijay Singh has one win plus a fifth (he was 24th at the Buick). In three events, Ernie Els has a third, a second and a sixth.
So Woods, Singh and Els are all off to fast starts. Whether Phil Mickelson (or Retief Goosen, Stuart Appleby or anyone else) joins the horse race is an open question. Even if Mickelson doesn't make it a quartet, the threesome of Singh, Woods and Els appear primed to provide golf fans with plenty of thrills in 2005.
For Tiger Woods, it was the 41st victory of his career. That's eigth-best on the list of career PGA Tour wins, and 16 wins ahead of his closest active competitor (Vijay Singh with 25 wins).
Photo by Zeke Quezada, About.com Las Vegas for Visitors Guide
Click to see more photos from the Buick Open
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