It has been seven years since Tiger Woods last won a major championship. Heck, it’s been two years since the former World no. 1 last won a PGA Tour title. Such has been Woods’ fall from grace that he is now ranked 262nd in the world golf rankings.
That being said, Woods’ game is finally showing some signs of life heading into the PGA Championship this week. Can the 14-time major winner finally end his long barren run at Whistling Straits? Read on below as we list three reasons why Tiger Woods will capture the prestigious Wanamaker Trophy this week. While you’re at it, you can check out our complete PGA Championship preview and sleeper picks.
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Three Reasons Why Tiger Woods Will Win the 2015 PGA Championship
The Guy’s a Proven Winner
You can talk all you want about Tiger’s ongoing struggles, but the fact remains that he’s one of the best golfers to ever play the game. He has won an incredible 14 major titles in his long and illustrious career. Four of those 14 major wins came here in the PGA Championship. In fact, he is the only player to win the PGA Championship in back-to-back years since the event changed to stroke play. He pulled off the feat twice, in 1999 and 2000 as well as in 2006 and 2007.
[sc:Golf240banner ]In 17 career PGA Championship starts, Woods has finished in the top-10 a whopping eight times. Apart from his four victories, he has also recorded two runner-up finishes in this prestigious event. He ended up in second place in the 2002 (Rich Beem) and 2009 (Y.E. Yang) editions. That experience will be crucial for Woods as he attempts to win his 15th major title at Whistling Straits this week. He is pegged at +2,500 to end his major drought this weekend.
Putting is Not the Problem
Whistling Straits has been notorious in the past for its tough and punishing greens. Fortunately for Woods, he’s putting the ball beautifully this past couple of weeks. In fact, he finished 16th at the Quicken Loans National in strokes gained via putting with a 0.9 clip. That’s a tremendous improvement from his measly 0.3 average this 2015 season. Woods needs to bring that excellent touch this week if he is to make a run at the PGA title.
Woods’ Game is Improving
In a recent poll conducted by Golf.com, the sports website asked readers if they were optimistic of Tiger’s chances in the upcoming PGA Championship. 58 percent of respondents said that Tiger’s heading in the right direction and that his golf game was definitely improving. Fueling the fans’ optimism is Woods’ solid play in his last start at the Quicken Loans National.
Tiger’s eight-under total of 276 was his lowest 72-hole score in relation to par at a PGA event since the 2013 BMW Championship. He shot three rounds in the 60s in the Quicken Loans to finish tied for 18th. That’s just the second time this season that Woods pulled off such a scoring feat. That’s an encouraging sign for Woods heading into the year’s final major.
