Tiger Woods has equalled the great Sam Snead’s record of 82 PGA Tour victories at the ZOZO Championship in Japan.
As the USPGA Tour continues to spread its wings by taking events into Asia (please bring one to Australia), a great field lined up to play in the event. It was Accordia Golf Narashino Country Club to make its debut as host venue and the 78 man field was headlined by local hero Hideki Matsuyama. However Tiger Woods also commanded top billing, in his first appearance for the new season.
Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Adam Scott represented Australia. Five World Top 10 representatives played; World #9 Sungjae Im (T3), #3 Justin Thomas (T16), #5 Joaquin Niemann (T33), #7 Adam Hadwin (T41), #4 Kevin Na (T46). Rory McIlroy was there, as was Garcia, Sabbatini, Bubba Watson, Tommy Fleetwood, Keegan Bradley and more – it was a star studded event.
But it was Woods that (again) stole the show, recording back-to-back opening rounds of 64. His opening odds of around 30/1 at some of the best online casinos were wound back quickly. After another knee surgery could Tiger do it again?
A curve ball was then thrown – a weather delay on the Saturday meant players would have to play as many holes as possible on the Sunday to catch up, with the remaining holes played on the Monday morning. Woods played 29 holes with 7 holes remaining. He held the lead over Matsuyama. Would the long day take its toll on Tiger? He turns 44 at the end of the year and was returning after the knee surgery.
No. Tiger kept his impeccable record of leading an event after 54 holes. With those seven holes to play Tiger held sway by three strokes and that was the final margin, Woods holing a birdie on the last in a sensational display. He looks fit, lean and hungry and composed.
After an improbable victory at Eastlake in September 2018 where Tiger broke a five year winning drought, he followed with his 81st PGA Tour win at Augusta earlier this year and the world watched on in awe. But then another setback, more surgery after four back operations. Could he grab another victory to equal Snead?
Well yes he can and yes he has. By numbers, Woods now holds the record of the most PGA Tour wins with Snead. Win another event and he’ll stand alone.
Again Woods proved any doubters wrong, he’s back and the golfing world is happy again.