Tiger Woods win his fourth PGA Tour start of 2013 thanks to a late Sergio Garcia collapse
It wasn't what we've come to expect from Tiger Woods with a late lead on the PGA Tour. Up two shots with five holes to play, it was cruise control for the No. 1 player in the world. Woods' record when leading speaks for itself, and this seemed like another instance that would end with a Sunday lap for Woods.
But we knew it would eventually happen when Tiger had a solid lead over a talented field. Tiger hit his tee shot in the water on the 14th, failing to get his next shot on the green and missing his bogey putt, dropping back to the field and forcing him to find another gear late on Sunday at an event he hasn't loved in the past.
But it was a break that went Tiger's way as they always seem to go as his second shot barely cleared the water on the par-5 16th and he was able to get that up and down for a birdie.
Then came Sergio Garcia. The guy who openly professed he wasn't a huge fan of Tiger earlier in the week when the two were paired together looked like the best bet to catch Woods and possibly force a star-studded playoff and his second shot on the 16th showed just how focused the 33-year-old was.
Garcia made a birdie there to match Woods at 13-under and then came the par-3 17th, the most famous hole in the world and one that was good for Garcia back in 2008 when he won in a playoff over Paul Goydos.
Sergio's wedge was right at the flag, but came up a full club short in the drink and his second shot didn't do much better, finding the water and ending in an ugly quadruple-bogey 7. Sergio followed that up with a double-bogey on the 18th to boot, and it was Tiger's tournament even after a late push by little known David Lingmerth.
We talk all the time about Tiger and when he will be the guy he used to be, but the conversation is obviously dead after this win, his fourth of 2013. This is the fastest Tiger has ever got to four wins in a season, and despite some loose swings as he was closing it was Tiger who was, again, able to calm the storm and reign supreme at an event that hasn't been his favorite in the past decade.
The PGA Tour is Tiger's world once again, and if it wasn't for a bulky flagstick on the 15th hole at Augusta National we might just be talking about his finest season ever as a professional.
