What did we uncover after Tiger's win at the Memorial? For one, that the world's No. 1 player loves to silence his critics.
Woods hit all 14 fairways, something the world's No. 1 player had not done in six years and now has accomplished just six times in his PGA Tour career. He saw Woods hit 13 of 18 greens. He watched him somehow gouge a flop shot out of the deep rough that trundled into the hole for an eagle.
Woods hit approach shots stiff at the 17th and 18th holes that set up birdies to cap a final-round 65 and a 1-stroke victory over Jim Furyk.
"I tried not to watch him, but it's hard not to," said Letzig, who began the day tied with Woods, 4 shots back, and ended up tied for 14th. "Some of the shots are just unreal. He's a lot better than everybody else. It's tough because it's golf to us. The way he plays, the way he hits his irons ... it's unreal."
Woods made seven birdies, an eagle and two bogeys and won for the second time this year since coming back from knee surgery.
"It was just a matter of time," Woods said. "It came together this week."
"My practice sessions started getting longer at home," he said. "Hit more balls, play more golf, all these things. People don't realize you need to do that. You need to have that ability. You can't just think about your swing and how to be great the next day. I needed to do the reps and do some good practice sessions the past couple of weeks.
"I knew I could do this. It's just a matter of give me a little bit of time. I just came off a pretty extended break, and I was close to winning, but the game wasn't quite there when I really needed it on Sunday. I rectified that."
But his indifferent play at all three of those tournaments left him vulnerable to the critics. His game was second-guessed .
"I wish you'd all quit ticking him off," said Furyk, laughing, after a final-hole birdie left him 1 shot short of Woods. "Wish you'd quit chapping him so much and make him come back and keep proving stuff. Tiger Woods is always Tiger Woods. He can't be 100 percent every week, but I'm sure he answered a lot of questions today."
If you're keeping track, that's two victories in seven starts this year for Woods. He now trails tournament host Jack Nicklaus by six for second place on the all-time PGA Tour victory list.
