Tiger Woods feels closer to ending almost five years without a win
Wednesday 30 May 2018 21:22, UK
Tiger Woods admitted he is still getting to grips with understanding how to win again as he returns to The Memorial in search of a sixth victory at Muirfield Village.
Woods has got himself into contention several times since returning to PGA Tour action in January following his lengthy battle to overcome a back injury, which culminated in spinal fusion surgery last year.
The 42-year-old was runner-up to Paul Casey at the Valspar Championship before making a late run at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, while he was also tied for second midway through the final round of The Players Championship, although he never got within four shots of runaway winner Webb Simpson.
Woods certainly knows how to get over the line at The Memorial, although he has not been presented with the winner's jacket by tournament host Jack Nicklaus since picking up his fifth title in 2012, and he remains without a victory of any sort for almost five years.
Asked what he needed to land his 80th career PGA Tour win, Woods told a pre-tournament press conference: "Well I think that it's understanding what it takes to finish it off and get a W. I've been on runs where it just came pretty easy, and other stretches where it was very difficult.
"This is a little bit different because I'm coming back off of not really playing for a while, and I remember the feelings I had at the Valspar. I had a chance to win there, finished second, but it felt really comfortable.
"The last few times that I've had a chance, that I've been up there on the board, I've felt very comfortable. So hopefully I can just shoot that low round when I need it."
Woods is also determined to erase the memories of his most recent appearance at The Memorial in 2015, when he carded the worst round of his professional career - an 85 on the third day that led to the indignity of being the first player out, on his own, for the final round.
"I tried hard and unfortunately that was all I had," he added. "I've always taken great pride throughout the years at never bagging it. I've tried in every single round and tried to fight to the end, and unfortunately I shot 85 and it didn't feel very good. On this golf course, and hitting it as bad as I did, it just wasn't good enough."
But Rory McIlroy believes Woods is "not far away" from returning to the winner's circle, and that he will benefit every time he gets himself into contention deep into a tournament.
McIlroy said: "Winning is a habit, and once you get into that habit it becomes a lot easier and you get a knack of knowing when you be aggressive and, if you're in contention, you maybe have to put yourself in that position and fail a couple of times before you succeed. And I don't think Tiger is any different.
"He hasn't tasted that winning feeling in five years, so I think it does just take a little bit of time. But he's putting himself in position more and more, and I don't think it's far away at all."
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