After enduring several back surgeries, Tiger Woods won the Tour Championship at East Lake for his first tour win in over five years. An emotionally-spent Woods sat at the podium table where he calmly talked about his recent victory. He finished two shots in front of Billy Horschel to collect his 80th PGA Tour win.
The smiling Woods said, 80 is a big number. Sitting on 79 for more than five years made him appreciate the victory. The win capped a 1,876-day drought which calculated to more than five years.
In the first few holes, Woods played well enough to keep himself in position to stay in the hunt.
An unexpected birdie at the first hole, gave Woods breathing room as he planned to shoot under par and play the next 17 even par, Woods explained.
ESPN commentator Scott Van Pelt asked Woods, when did he believe this year, that a day like this could be possible. “It happened early for me,” Woods replied. “I had a chance to win at Tampa. I missed the cut at LA. I thought my body could handle a couple more rounds to get me ready for the Master’s and I finished one shot back of a playoff and finished second. So, the early part of my process of trying to come back and compete again, I found that I could play at this elite level.”
Fans shouted Tiger, Tiger, Tiger, who shot 1-over-par on the last day, as he made his way to the 18th hole where he finished out the evening with a par.
Woods wasn’t the only guy who walked away with a smile. Justin Rose, who finished with 73 in final-round, birdied the last hole to pick up the FedEx Cup and a cool 10-million-dollar bonus. That held off Woods from winning his third FedEx Cup.
Woods was elated after holding a two-shot lead for most of the day and is now two wins shy of leader Sam Snead for PGA all-time victories.
Photo compliments of cnbc.com
