Return of the king?

By Joe Schackman

For at least one weekend, Tiger Woods turned back the clock, dialed down his swing, and came away a winner.

Tiger Woods' trademark has never really been an insane ability to show up and play the greatest round of golf that he could. Rather, it was his ability to not play his best golf yet still win. He could be just okay for 16 holes in a round and then, when it mattered most, legendary for the last two.

Like Sunday’s final round at the Chevron Challenge. Tiger was battling Zach Johnson for the entire day without ever having his best stuff. But when he stepped to the 17th tee, down by one, he flipped the switch, holing back-to-back birdies to walk off the 18th green a winner for the first time since 2009.

Throughout most his career, Tiger used different types of shots and strategies to make sure he never wasted a shot. He had the talent to pull off anything he could imagine, yet the mental toughness to stick to the game plan he had set before the tournament.

We've seen this combination of ability and determination countless times: His 2006 British Open victory at Royal Liverpool, when he hit just one driver the entire tournament. Or the 2000 British Open, when he avoided the grueling St. Andrews bunkers the entire week and cruised to an easy win.

The best example of Tiger's control and precision came during his historic 2000 U.S. Open victory, when he lapped the field, winning by fifteen shots. During the tournament, he hit his infamous “stinger” iron shot off the tee on a number of holes. In doing so, he sacrificed yards in order to secure fairways and stay out of the punishing U.S. Open rough. He refused to get caught up in the moment; no matter how many shots he had to play with, Tiger wouldn’t let himself hit driver, for fear of wasting a shot. Tiger's goal was never to throw a red zone interception. Every time out might not produce a touchdown, but he always walked off the field with some points. He made sure he lived to fight another day.

And that is what has seemed so different with Tiger in recent years. He made more tactical mistakes than ever before, compounding his mechanical issues. Not only was he swinging the club poorly, but he was pulling driver at an unbelievable rate. It made you want to reach through the screen, grab Tiger by the collar and remind him that his 80% equaled just about everyone’s 100%.

Maybe that message is just now starting to get through to him. We saw shades of the old Woods in the final round of the Chevron Challenge this past weekend. It was not pretty by any stretch of the imagination, and Tiger had trouble making a great swing when he needed one. On the par five 13th, Woods was just 252 yards from the hole, with a great chance to make eagle and take control of the round. Instead of hitting it close, though, Tiger made a poor swing and lost his opportunity at birdie, much less an eagle.

He kept his cool, and on the next hole pulled a three-wood and kept it in the fairway. He also left his driver in the bag on the par five 16th. Tiger wasn't hitting the highlight reel shots, but he was staying step-by-step with Johnson, waiting for the right time to make his move.

That time came on 17. Woods hit a great shot onto the green, then drained a 15-foot putt to tie Johnson. On 18, he channeled his old form, again keeping the driver in the bag and hitting his “stinger” instead. Tiger stuffed his approach shot close to hole. Johnson missed his birdie putt, and it was over. Tiger poured in an 8-foot putt to win his first tournament in two years.

It's an understatement to say that a lot has changed for Tiger since he last won a tournament. He has a new swing, new coach, new caddie and pretty much a new life. But for the first time in years, he has his old game back.

Oh, and that victory fist pump he unleashed after the tournament-winning putt? It looked pretty vintage too.