Tiger Takes Charge at Doral and Notches 76th Career Win

Photo by @pga_tour

Tiger Woods has plenty of experience at the Trump Doral Blue Monster, and thanks to Steve Stricker for a brief putting lesson, Tiger dominated the greens even more then ever.   Dropping multiple one-putt birdies in succession, Tiger set a career record of 27 birdies in a single tournament and went on to win his 7^th WGC-Cadillac Tournament and his 17^th WGC event.

The tournament was in Tiger’s hands from round 1 after carding a 66 with 9 birdies on Thursday.   Woods went on to shoot 65, 67, and 71 (-19) on the next three days, but his cushy lead allowed his 71 to hold up over the charging Steve Stricker who finished 2 strokes back with a -17.

When asked about the 4-day masterpiece he painted in Miami, Tiger said, “”That’s how I know I can play. To bring it out a couple times this year has been nice. Anytime I can win prior to Augusta feels good.” Speaking of Augusta, if Tiger continues to putt the way he did in South Beach this week, we are all in for a treat come Masters kick off on April 11.  Tiger now has 7 victories in 4 different events, including one that is approaching at Bay Hill, where Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year.  A win there will give Woods the World number one ranking back, a position he hasn’t held in quite a while.

It was nice to see Tiger thank Steve Stricker for his “putting tips”…maybe Woods should buy him a steak dinner.  Stricker commented on Tiger’s play after the conclusion of the tournament on Sunday. “His attitude and what I saw this week and his belief in himself again looks very similar to when he was, you know, in the early 2000s, or you can pick any year, I guess, when he was playing great,” Stricker said. “He just seems in a better place mentally. He seems to be having fun. And he seems to have a lot of confidence in himself and his game.”

Mickelson, McDowell, and Sergio Garcia were just some of the names that finished right below Stricker and Woods.  The great thing about winning these events is that you’re playing against the best in the world, and Tiger has done it 17 times.

Look out Augusta, Tiger Woods is hunting for that 15^th major!