Woods back to his best and eyeing Masters

Tiger Woods is playing like he does when he wins major golf titles and, with the Masters only a month away, looks ready to close the major win-record gap on Jack Nicklaus for the first time since 2008.

With impressive putting and a masterful short game, Woods captured the World Golf Championships event at Doral on Sunday for his second US PGA title of the year after a January triumph at Torrey Pines.  

“That’s how I know I can play,” Woods said. “That’s the thing. To be able to bring it out a couple times so far this year, and then able to close and get the Ws on top of that, that’s nice,’’ he added.

Woods has won at Torrey Pines and Doral in the same season three times. In each of those years, he has captured a major title and won between six and eight total events overall.

“Any time I can win prior to Augusta, it always feels good,” Woods said. “I’ve been able to do it a few times throughout my career, which is nice,’’ Woods added.

Woods has not won a major title since the 2008 US Open, when he limped to victory in a playoff over Rocco Mediate with an injury that ended his season.

Since then, Woods has faced nagging injuries and an infamous sex scandal, but has seldom shown the form he displayed in winning this year.

His final tuneup for next month’s Masters comes next week at Bay Hill, and then he heads for Augusta National legendary layout, a course where he has won four green jackets, but none since 2005.

Woods could overtake Rory McIlroy for the World No 1 ranking ahead of the Masters and the 14-time major champion could move a step closer to overtaking the record 18 major wins of Nicklaus if he keeps putting well. 

“I felt toward the end of last year that I was heading that direction where things were becoming better,” Woods said.