When Charlie Woods is older and asked to recall his first clear memory of watching his dad Tiger in action, the four year old might well settle on the final round of the Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday, and the marvellous scenes that accompanied this latest imperious demonstration.
Seven shots clear at the start of play, such was Woods’s complete mastery not one of his challengers was able to make any inroads into that massive advantage at any point.
In the end, the final winning margin on a blustery day proved to be seven over defending champion Keegan Bradley and Open runner-up Henrik Stenson, as the 37 year old closed with a 70 for a 15 under par total. It was his 79th victory on the PGA Tour to move within three of Sam Snead’s all-time record. By way of comparison, Snead’s 79th victory came at the age of 47.
Champion: Woods won the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational by seven shots
Teamwork: Woods smiles and speaks with caddie Joe LaCava after the final round
‘I just felt good about my game all week. That’s five wins for the season now so it’s turning into a pretty good year, and I’m really looking forward to the USPGA ,’ said Woods, referring to the season’s final major this week, where he will start an overwhelming favourite to finally end his five year Grand Slam drought.
As for this win, his biggest for five years, Ian Poulter reckoned he had ‘humiliated the field’ while US Open Champion Justin Rose said: ‘He battered us.’
We’ve become used to seeing players’ offspring join them in their hour of victory but this was the first time Charlie has put in an appearance, as Tiger scooped him into his arms at the end and carried him to the trophy presentation.
Two hours before this latest tee-time with destiny, Woods had emerged from the courtesy car park clutching Charlie’s hand. Both dressed in red shirts, there were no security guards around them and no hangers-on. For just a second they could have been any father and son, enjoying some time together in the warm Ohio sunshine.
Under the spotlight: Woods lines up a putt on the seventh green
In demand: Woods walks from the fourth green to the fifth tee
What followed next, however, as they turned the corner and embraced the madness, was anything but conventional.
No doubt Woods will have to win majors before everyone’s agreed that he is back but one thing’s for sure: the aura is back.
His huge lead at the start meant this was a non-event in terms of being a competition. But try telling that to the fans who descended in such numbers on Firestone the ‘car lot full’ signs were posted well before noon.
The excitement around the first tee was almost on a Ryder Cup scale as Woods made the short walk from the practice ground. Two teenage females were acting like they’d come straight from watching One Direction. ‘Look, there he is!’ cried one, prompting her friend to add: ‘Come on Tiger! Eight times today, baby!’
Procession: Tiger Woods' victory was never in doubt
A couple of years ago there might have been some doubt as to what she was talking about but Woods’s rehabilitation in his home land is now so complete it was a clear reference to his extraordinary prowess in this tournament. ‘Welcome home,’ cried another fan, and that’s how it felt as he took off his cap, acknowledged the roars, and set about completing his eighth Bridgestone triumph.
The temptation, of course, is to think this awesome display makes him a shoe-in to return to winning majors at the USPGA on a similarly storied inland course in Oak Hill. It should be resisted. Twenty of Woods’s victories have come in his final event before a major but he has only gone on to win the Grand Slam event itself on four occasions.
Still, talk about majors can wait for another day. This was an occasion to celebrate his status as arguably the finest sportsmen of his generation, a man with achievements so far ahead of his peers they’re rivals only in the loosest possible sense.
Take the closest of them, Phil Mickelson, rightly lauded last month for his Open success last month and duly promoted to the ranks of one of the greatest golfers of all time. Which is fair enough.
The chasing pack: Stenson (above) and Bradley (below) finished tied for second
But Mickelson, who is six years older, has 42 wins to his name. That’s 37 fewer wins than Woods. If Tiger keeps winning tournaments at the rate of four or five a year, that gap will be more like 60 wins by the time he reaches Mickelson’s age. This must be a contender for the biggest gap between the number one and the number two in the history of any sport.
As for this particular final round, Woods played like a man who has been in this situation countless times, taking few risks and fully aware that making pars rather than the spectacular was the name of the game. As he acknowledged: ‘It was breezy, so it was a good day to protect a score rather than trying to make one happen.’ That’s exactly what he did, to turn this into an 18 hole coronation.
Best of the home players was Englishman Chris Wood who shot 71 to finish a highly creditable 7th. After all his back problems, how good to see the 25 year old Bristolian and undoubted talent feeling healthy and playing as he can.
Luke Donald finished inside the top ten while Rory McIlroy closed with a 72. He finished tied 27th and now he heads to Oak Hill to defend his USPGA title.
Top ten: England's Chris Wood shot a 71 to finish seventh
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