Golf: Tiger Woods completes comeback with Tour Championship victory

Tiger Woods celebrates winning the Tour Championship. Photo / Getty

A comeback not even Tiger Woods saw coming a year ago.

A chaotic celebration that golf hasn't seen even in the best of times.

Woods delivered the perfect ending to his amazing return from four back surgeries today with a performance that felt like old times. He left the competition feeling hopeless as he built a five-shot lead early and hung on to win the Tour Championship.

Woods raised both arms over his head after he tapped in for par and a 1-over 71 for a two-shot victory over Billy Horschel, the 80th victory of his PGA Tour career and his first in more than five years.

"It was a grind out there," Woods said. "I loved every bit of it."

It felt like a coronation coming down the 18th green, his second shot to the par 5 safely in a bunker in front of the green. The crowd came through the ropes and walked behind him, similar to when he won the Western Open in 1997 for the first dose of Tigermania.

This was better. It was bigger.

One year ago, Woods was still waiting for his lower back to fuse and wasn't sure he could ever play again. He told stories of being unable to get off the couch to watch his kids play soccer, much less to chip and putt.

He was becoming a legend only in video highlights.

Woods brought it all to life over four days at East Lake, and the players who have taken turns at No. 1 during his absence caught the full brunt of it. Rory McIlroy faded early. Justin Rose faded late.

All that was left was the 42-year-old Woods in that red shirt blazing brighter than ever and a smile he couldn't shake walking up to collect another trophy.

"[At the] Beginning of the year that certainly seemed a tall order but as the year progressed, I proved that I could play. I found a swing and put some pieces together and I knew I could do it again."

In the 1,874 days since Tiger Woods' last win:

239 PGA TOUR events held
119 different players won on PGA TOUR
44 official worldwide starts
9 missed cuts
4 back surgeries pic.twitter.com/J8p21OMDVD

— ESPN (@espn) September 23, 2018

It's OFFICIAL! 🐅@TigerWoods is your 2018 #TOURChampionship winner! pic.twitter.com/iBfpNq1rwh

— TOUR Championship (@TOURChamp) September 23, 2018

Woods admitted it was an emotional final round as the crowds swelled to sizes never seen before on the PGA Tour.

"I had a hard time not crying coming up the last hole," Woods added. Before saying once he got on the 18th green he knew the title was his.

England's Justin Rose finished in a share of fourth place which was enough to claim the Fed Ex Cup title and the US$10m bonus, denying Woods the massive pay day with a birdie on the last hole.

"I can't believe I pulled this off, what the season has gone through. It's been tough. Not so easy couple of years. I couldn't have done it without the help of everyone around me," Woods added at the trophy presentation.

"Some of the players I saw after the 18th green knew what I struggled with...it's hard to believe I won the Tour Championship."

A timeline between the 79th and 80th victories on the PGA Tour for Tiger Woods:

Aug. 4, 2013 — Wins the Bridgestone Invitational for his 18th World Golf Championship title and 79th victory on the PGA Tour.

March 31, 2014 — Has back surgery and announces he will miss the Masters for the first time.

June 26, 2014 — Returns to the PGA Tour and misses the cut at the Quicken Loans National.

Aug. 8, 2014 — Misses the cut in the PGA Championship and says he will take the rest of the year off, including the Ryder Cup, to get healthy.

Dec. 7, 2014 — Returns at the Hero World Challenge and ties for last in an 18-man field at Isleworth, his home course, 26 shots out of the lead.

Feb. 1, 2015 — Looking like an amateur with his short game, shoots 82 in the Phoenix Open to miss the cut. A week later at Torrey Pines, withdraws after 11 holes and says he could never get his glutes activated.

Feb. 11, 2015 — Announces he is taking time off to work on his game, saying that "my play, and scores, are not acceptable for tournament golf."

April 9, 2015 — Returns at the Masters, his chipping issues gone, and ties for 17th.

June 6, 2015 — Shoots an 85 in the third round of the Memorial, his highest score as a professional.

Aug. 14, 2015 — Misses the cut in his third straight major at the PGA Championship.

Aug. 23, 2015 — After sharing the 36-hole lead, ties for 10th in the Wyndham Championship and fails for the first time to qualify for the FedEx Cup playoffs when playing at least 10 times on the PGA Tour.

Sept. 16, 2015 — Has a second back surgery.

Oct. 28, 2015 — Has a third procedure on his back.

Dec. 1, 2015 — In a somber press conference at his Hero World Challenge, Woods says of his future, "So where is the light at the end of the tunnel? I don't know." He says he wants to play again and anything else he achieves will be "gravy."

Dec. 4, 2016 — Returns to competition at the Hero World Challenge, makes 24 birdies and finishes 15th in an 18-man field, 14 shots behind.

Jan. 27, 2017 — Makes first PGA Tour start since the Wyndham Championship in 2015 and misses the cut at Torrey Pines.

Feb. 3, 2017 — After opening with a 77 at the Dubai Desert Classic in calm conditions, withdraws before the start of the second round because of back spasms.

April 19, 2017 — Has a fourth surgery, this one to fuse his lower back.

May 30, 2017 — Woods is arrested and briefly jailed in Jupiter, Florida, on suspicion of DUI. Police find him asleep behind the wheel of his car in the early morning with the engine running. He attributes it to a bad combination of pain medication.

Sept. 27, 2017 — A vice captain at the Presidents Cup, Woods says he has no idea what his future holds because he's only hitting 60-yard shots.

Oct. 7-23, 2017 — Woods posts three videos on Instagram of a smooth iron swing, a driver and his stinger.

Oct. 27, 2017 — Woods pleads guilty to reckless driving and agrees to enter a diversion program. Prosecutors drop the DUI charge under the plea agreement.

Dec. 3, 2017 — Returns to competition at the Hero World Challenge, posts three rounds in the 60s and ties for ninth against an 18-man field, 10 shots behind.

Jan. 28, 2018 — In his return to the PGA Tour, makes the cut on the number and ties for 23rd at Torrey Pines.

Feb. 20, 2018 — Ryder Cup captain Jim Furyk announces Woods as one of his vice captains, says Woods still wants to make the team.

March 11, 2018 — Before enormous crowds at Innisbrook, makes par on the 18th hole to finish one shot out of the lead at the Valspar Championship.

March 18, 2018 — One shot behind in the final round at Bay Hill, yanks tee shot out-of-bounds on the 16th hole and ties for fifth.

July 22, 2018 — Takes the lead in the final round of the British Open, only to make double bogey on the 12th hole and finish in a tie for sixth.

Aug. 12, 2018 — Closes with a 64, his lowest final round ever in a major, and is runner-up to Brooks Koepka in the PGA Championship.

Sept. 4, 2018 — Announced as a captain's pick for the Ryder Cup, his first playing appearance since 2012.

Sept. 23, 2018 — Wins the Tour Championship for his 80th career victory on the PGA Tour.

- With AP