Player of the Year takes NEC Invitational

Tiger is at his best when he’s playing against the best, and despite not playing his best, Tiger managed to sneak out a one-stroke victory at the WGC-NEC Invitational. This victory marks Tiger’s 45th PGA Tour victory of his career, his fifth of 2005, his fourth at Firestone, and his ninth (of only 18) World Golf Championship tournaments. With two victories, a T2, and a T4 in the majors this year along with three other wins, do you think Player of the Year is wrapped up? I do.

Tiger Woods made 42 of his first 43 putts inside of ten feet – and every putt inside seven feet – prior to Sunday’s final round. He quickly birdied the second hole to get to -8 and take the lead by himself, but short par putts of about three feet were pushed and then pulled on two of the next three holes. Woods would bogey the ninth before birdieing 10 and bogeying 11. His late birdie on the 667-yard 16th – after pushing his tee shot 40 yards right, punching out, and hitting a 194-yard 7-iron to 18 feet – put him ahead of Chris DiMarco, sitting in the clubhouse at -5 after missing a 15-footer on the 18th to get to -6 himself.

What we didn’t see much of this Sunday was good golf. Kenny Perry, the 54-hole leader, stumbled to a +4 74 and recorded five bogeys in one six-hole stretch from holes 9-14. Stuart Appleby incurred a two-stroke penalty when, dropping off a cart path, his caddy picked up the ball before it had rolled more than two clublengths away. Vijay Singh couldn’t stay at -5 after his birdie on the 14th, immediately bogeying the 15th. Chris DiMarco had a hot streak going, but shot only -2 today. Woods limped home in one-over 71. Vijay and Luke Donald had the best rounds of the top ten, firing 67s.

Ho hum. Tiger back? Has been for months. Vijay’s putting? Still horrible. Player of the Year? In the bag. Good golf on Sunday? Not by a long shot.

Pos  Player            Tot    R1    R2    R3    R4    Tot
1    Tiger Woods        -6    66    70    67    71    274
2    Chris DiMarco      -5    67    70    70    68    275
T3   Vijay Singh        -4    66    71    72    67    276
T3   Ryan Palmer        -4    72    68    67    69    276
T3   Paul McGinley      -4    71    66    67    72    276
T6   Luke Donald        -3    69    67    74    67    277
T6   David Howell       -3    70    68    70    69    277
T6   Kenny Perry        -3    70    69    64    74    277
T9   Colin Montgomerie  -2    70    72    68    68    278
T9   Zach Johnson       -2    70    70    69    69    278
T9   David Toms         -2    71    67    69    71    278
T9   Jose M. Olazabal   -2    72    68    66    72    278

Photo Credit: © AP.