Almost two and a half years after losing the title, Tiger Woods has returned to number one in the world ranking after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The defending champion knew that only victory at Bay Hill would allow him to overtake Rory Mcllroy of Northern Ireland, who was officially crowned the world’s best in March 2012.
With thunderstorms pressing the final round of play in Florida, USA, on Monday, the 37-year-old golfer defended a three-stroke lead he held earlier in the day to finish 13 under par, two behind Justin Rose.
“It was a product of hard work, patience and getting back to winning tournaments,” Woods said after winning the coveted world number one.
Woods also became only the second player in golf history to win eight PGA titles in the same event, joining the legendary Sam Snead.
“I play well here and it’s as simple as it looks,” the Californian replied when asked about his success at Bay Hill.
While it took Snead 27 years to add up those victories, it has taken Woods 13 years (almost half the time) to achieve that feat and he also managed to win three other tournaments on seven different occasions.
The American’s form suggests he will be the next man to beat at the Augusta Masters next month, the first major of the year; with many pundits waiting for his first major since 2008 to consider his comeback complete.
“That’s up to them, that’s their opinion,” said a relaxed Woods. “I’m very happy with the way I’m playing and that’s good enough for me,” he added.
The title, on one of his favorite courses, formally ends his return to the pinnacle of golf, from which he fell spectacularly when reports emerged of numerous marital infidelities in late 2009, after which he took an indefinite break from competition.
The following August he divorced his wife of six years, Swedish ex-model Elin Nordegren, who is the mother of his two children.
In October 2010, six months after returning to golf in such poor form that he failed to win a single event in a season for the first time since turning pro, Woods lost the crown as world’s best to England’s Lee Westwood and ended a record 281 consecutive weeks at the top (which began in June 2005).
A combination of additional lack of form, plus injuries, meant that a man who once appeared to be invincible on the golf course had fallen to a barely credible 58th place in November 2011.
But 29 months after losing his crown, Woods is back on top for the 11th time in his career, capped by a good month for his game and private life, as the golfer announced his relationship with skier Lindsey Vonn last week.
He will now begin to add to the record 623 weeks he spent at the top of the golfing world, a figure that is almost double that of his nearest rival, Australian Greg Norman, who accumulated 331 weeks, while no other player has broken the 100-week barrier.
The 2013 season may have barely begun, but the 14-time Major winner started in irrepressible form, winning three of his five tournaments after triumphing at Doral earlier this month and Torrey Pines in January.
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