2013 Players Championship: Tiger Woods Wins Second Players Championship

May 12, 2013; Ponte Vedra Beach, FL, USA; Tiger Woods celebrates after winning the Players Championship at TPC Sawgrass – Stadium Course. Mandatory Credit: Brad Barr-USA TODAY Sports

In a golf tournament that had more car wrecks than last nights NASCAR race from Darlington, Tiger Woods gets his second win at The Players Championship, a tour rookies has a birdie putt at the 72nd hole to force a playoff, Sergio Garcia, and Jeff Maggert have a major car wreck on the infamous 17th hole at TPC Sawgrass  to fall out of contention.

Tiger Woods gets his fourth win of the season, the 78th of his career, and to follow suit a win in his 300th start on the PGA Tour. He picked up wins on his 100th, and 200th starts.

Tiger Woods teed off on Sunday in the next to last group at -11 under par with Casey Wittenberg who ended the third round at -10 under, just ahead of Sergio Garcia, and rookie, David Lingmerth who began the final round tied with Woods. After making the turn at 34, and two under for the day Tiger had it in cruise control until he had a car wreck in the 15th hole. He pulled his drive left into the water, and by the time the dust settled, he was back in a dogfight and a tie with his nemesis, Sergio Garcia.

Woods and Garcia both birdied the par five 16th hole, and that would be the last time for the day, and the tournament that Sergio Garcia would be a factor. Garcia hit his tee shot on the Signature par three 17th short, and into the water. He elected to re-tee instead of going to the drop area, and his second tee shot made the bank, but back-spun into the water. His third shot from the tee made the green, but he would two-putt for a seven, and give up any chance for a win. He would follow that with a double bogey six at the 18th hole, and end his day at -7 under par, in a tie for eighth place.

The challenge came from rookie David Lingmerth. Lingmerth would play well all day, and after a great tee shot on seventeen, had a chance to tie Woods, and force a playoff. He missed the putt and went to the 18th tee again needing birdie. His tee shot went too far right, and after hitting his approach shot to the right side of the green, needed a 35 foot downhill putt to tie the lead. He blew the putt too far by the hole, and missed the par putt coming back. He fell into a tie for second with Kevin Streelman, and Jeff Maggert . Maggert also had his problems at the 17th hole where a double bogey cost him a piece of the lead.

Since winning the players championship back in 2001, Tiger Woods had fallen on hard times at the famous Pete Dye monster. He had not finished in the top ten since 2008, and most people were not picking him this week to contend. But as usual, when you forget about Tiger, he has to win another tournament and remind you he is greatest golfer in this generation, and is making a run at all of the old-time records.  His 78th win leaves him only four short of Sam Snead’s PGA Tour leading 82 victories.

With his fourth win of the year, which is one more win than he had at this time of the year during the 2000 season, he takes a commanding 1740 point lead over Brandt Snedeker in FedEx Cup points. His entire game plan at the Players Championship looked a bunch like he is gearing up for Merion next month and will be a serious challenger to get that 15th major on Father’s Day. Today’s win was his first on Mother’s Day.

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