Tiger Woods respectable 12th place finish in this week’s Honda Classic did nothing to damage his hopes of seriously competing in The Masters in April. Woods has now played 10 competitive, meaningful rounds since he had spinal fusion surgery. In just his third PGA tour event of 2018, Woods is beginning to perform. Not like a Top 5 player, but as a competitive player and thats where all true comebacks begin.
After his Top 15 finish in the Honda Classic, Woods is now 389th in the world, jumping 155 spots.
XTN Golf News on Twitter
PGA Tiger Woods makes big move in FedExCup, world-ranking – Tiger Woods’ 12th-place finish at The Honda Classic was his best since 2015, and it resulted in a big jump in both the FedExCup and Official World Golf Ranking. Woods jumped 49 spots to No. … https://t.co/G6KHXK4WXV
“My expectations have gone up because I’m hitting the ball better,” Tiger told reporters. “I can’t do what I used to do. I cant hit the same shots and body positions…but it’s different.”
This week, Tiger shot his first sub 70 round in 917 days. He was even four shots off the lead at one point on Sunday. He doesnt have all aspects of his game clicking yet and hes admittingly older and less athletic than he once was. But he’s still crafty and extremely talented, that much is obvious.
Sustaining his excellence throughout the course of a match is the next step. Woods often found the water, and missed some par puts down the stretch, but you can feel a shift in the narrative and the mood of the golf world concerning Tigers legitimacy as a contender. As the most measured, analyzed and scrutinized golfer in the game and one of the most famous African-Americans in the history of professional sports, Woods says he’s starting to feel something that he hasnt in a while.
GOLF.com on Twitter
Where do you stand on Tiger now after his strong showing at the Honda Classic? https://t.co/iGZo1KFuUM
I’m starting to feel the rounds,” Woods said. “Starting to get into it quicker. Feel the pace. Feel the shot.
Such confidence is what helped build Woods into an American icon. In past years, with his health and emotional issues, Woods was not only a shell of his former self physically, but you could tell golf was the furthest thing from his mind. Seems as if hes starting to catch that wave again and as long as he stays relatively competitive and healthy in his rounds leading up to Augusta National, the big fish of the 2018 pro golf circuit, fans will hold out hope that he can don the green jacket once again.
