Sport
He’s Back! Tiger Woods first win in 2 years
It didn’t really matter to him.
“It just feels awesome, whatever it is,” he said.
A two-shot lead on the back nine had turned into a one-shot deficit as Woods faced a 15-foot birdie putt on the 17th hole. He thought Johnson’s birdie putt was going in until it stayed just high of the hole. Woods adjusted his line ever so slightly and drained the putt to pull even going to the 18th.
From 158 yards in the middle of the fairway, Woods hit 9-iron that landed on the slope and rolled down to easy birdie range.
If this win felt different than the last one, Woods wasn’t saying.
“They all feel good,” he said. “They’re not easy. People don’t realize how hard it is to win golf tournaments. I’ve gone on streaks where I’ve won golf tournaments in a row, but still, I don’t think I’ve taken it for granted. And I know because of how hard it is.”
Johnson had done just about everything right on the back nine, a tough birdie putt on the 13th to tie for the lead, a spectacular pitch from the putting surface, over a ridge to 4 feet to escape with par, and a 12-foot birdie on the 16th to take the lead.
He had a 15-foot birdie putt on the 18th that never had a chance, and stood to the side watching a familiar sight — Woods making clutch shots at the end of a tournament to win.
“If the man is healthy, that’s paramount,” Johnson said. “I mean, he’s the most experienced and the best player I’ve ever played with. In every situation, he knows how to execute and win.”
