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Thursday 16 augusT 2018
Best measure of Woods is when he has the lead

By DOUG FERGUSON Woods in the final round at
AP Golf Writer Carnoustie when Woods
ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tiger took the lead for two holes,
Woods once said it could only to fall back with a dou-
not be considered a truly ble bogey on the 11th hole.
great year without winning Molinari forged through
a major. the noise without a bogey
Five years ago, he never and won the British Open
would have said it could be by two shots. The Italian
a good year without win- became only the second
ning any tournament. player to win a major while
This year is an exception. paired with Woods in the
Woods closed with a 64 on final round. The other was
Sunday at Bellerive, his low- Y.E. Yang in the 2009 PGA
est final round in a major. Championship at Hazeltine,
He finished at 266, breaking the only times Woods lost a
by three shots his personal 54-hole lead in a major.
best over 72 holes in a ma- Close calls at Carnoustie
jor. Neither was enough to and Bellerive should at least
win the PGA Champion- be a reminder that Woods
ship. has never won a major
His last major was 10 years when trailing going into the
ago. His last victory of any final round. He won all 14 of
variety was five years ago. them from either the lead
It's still been a good year. or a share of the lead, and
Sixteen months ago, he an- his closing rate on the PGA
nounced his fourth back Tour is astounding.
surgery in three years, the Woods is 43-2 when has the
last one to fuse his lower lead going into Sunday,
spine. Ten months ago, and his record is 11-2 when
doctors still had not given he is tied for the lead.
him clearance to swing a Now he just has to get
club. Eight months ago, he there. He is good enough
was No. 656 in the world to win. That should no lon-
ranking, one spot behind ger be up for debate.
Lucas Nemecz of Austria. Whether he still has that
Now he's No. 26, one spot mystique is still to be deter-
behind Sergio Garcia. mined. That starts with him
"I didn't even know if I was being the hunted, and not
going to play golf again," the other way around.
Woods said. "It's been a hell Even in the best of times,
of a process, for sure." Woods never charged his
The majors are over. The way to victory in a major.
season is not. He started five shots behind
With his runner-up finish, at Hazeltine in the 2002
Woods moved to No. 20 PGA Championship and
in the FedEx Cup. That as- birdied his last four holes,
sures him three FedEx Cup only for Rich Beem to make
playoff events, and a rea- a 35-foot birdie on the 16th
sonable chance to return for some breathing room.
to East Lake for the Tour Woods trailed at the Mas-
Championship. For now, ters and U.S. Open in 2007
they are little more than and quickly got into a tie
opportunities. for the lead, only to fade by
Because while this year of not making enough putts.
the comeback has been Tiger Woods celebrates after making a birdie putt on the 18th green during the final round of the Two shots behind Phil Mick-
nothing short of remark- PGA Championship golf tournament at Bellerive Country Club, Sunday, Aug. 12, 2018, in St. Louis. elson going into Sunday at
able, two elements are Associated Press the 2006 Masters, Woods
missing. twice missed eagle putts
He still hasn't won. ers he is trying to beat. maybe for his approach Koepka, playing two inside 15 feet on the back
And he has yet to start the That's not to suggest any- into the 15th that plopped groups behind Woods, nine to go along with six
final round with at least a one ever gave Woods his down a foot from the cup, missed three straight birdie three-putts for the week.
share of the lead. 14 majors. It just seemed bringing him within one putts from 10 feet or closer He finished two behind.
Considering his reputation that way because he was shot of the lead. when Woods was making Give him the lead, give him
and record as golf's great- winning so many of them. Brooks Koepka never got his last run. And then he the crowd, give him the op-
est closer, those two might No one is going to give him rattled. poured in two in a row, the portunity, and Woods got
go hand-in-hand. any now. "You could hear a differ- last one from 7 feet after it done with a rate never
The PGA Championship The roars were never loud- ent roar every 30 seconds," the prettiest 4-iron he ever seen in golf.
was another example that er than when he hooked Koepka said. "So we knew hit. That will be the next step,
while Woods remains larger a 9-iron off the muddied, what was going on. It's Francesco Molinari had it maybe the final step to see
than life to the fans, it isn't trampled grass on No. 9 pretty obvious when Tiger even tougher. if that red shirt on Sunday
enough to shake the play- and made birdie, except makes a birdie." He was playing alongside still means something.q