Tiger Woods says his next PGA TOUR wins are coming soon

Tiger Woods’ comeback season in 2018 has been a welcome spark in the golf world. Of course, it’s also added quite a bit more to the plate of one of the sport’s all-time great players. Here’s how Woods is handling all of that as the FedEx Cup Playoffs are set to begin.

Tiger Woods met briefly with media at the site of The Northern Trust tournament on Tuesday, and discussed topics from the Ryder Cup to the record book to equipment modifications to fans this season.

After a season of professional golf in which he entered 14 tournaments and missed only two cuts, Woods is still looking for his 80^th victory, which will tie Sam Snead’s victory total according to current PGA Tour records (even though in earlier years, PGA Tour records had Snead at 84 victories).  Regardless, his season has been nothing less than miraculous for a man with a fused back.

Right now, his number one priority is the Ryder Cup.

"“I want to be picked. I want to be part of the team,” he said. “I started at the very beginning of the year, I told Jim I wanted to be a part of the team, not just as a vice captain but as a player. I’m very close to making that happen.”"

He’s 11^th on the 2018 points list. But because he is already a vice captain, he has a secondary role that is already taking shape, in discussions of who would be good fits and good partnerships for those who have made the team on points.

"“The interesting role here is that I’m a vice captain, so we’re talking about myself in the third person a lot,” he explained. “We were having a lot of fun with it, but yeah, I’m one of the guys on the short list, and sometimes I’ve got to pull myself out of there and talk about myself in the third person, which is a little odd.”"

After a season which offered more success than he could have anticipated, he’s looking to get into the winner’s circle soon.

"“Just simple math. Yeah, in order to get to Jack’s ultimate 18, I’ve got to pass Sam’s, and I want to make that happen,” he noted. “I’m close. I have been close to winning tournaments this year. I think if I keep giving myself opportunities, I’ll get the job done.”"

He has four more chances in this season to get the victory, the three FedEx Playoff events and the Tour Championship.  Meanwhile, Woods is still fidgeting with equipment, trying to find the right combination for his current swing. 

"“We’ve been working on it, experimenting with different shafts and different lofts on my driver and 3-wood, as well. Just trying to figure it out. Same thing with my 2-iron,” he explained. “I’ve still got two more days (before The Northern Trust starts), and I’ll still be monkeying around with a couple things and come game time we’ll see what I go with.”"

However, it’s been a surprise that he’s been able to perform as well as he has this season, threatening at several tournaments, including the last two majors.

"“At the beginning of the year, I didn’t know,” he said when asked about his attitude now versus in January. “I was trying to get in rounds and get my playing feels back again because I had lost them for a couple of years. It’s taken me months to get my playing feels and make my adjustments. As I’ve gone through the year, my body has evolved and has changed, and so trying to keep ahead of that and make the swing adjustments, as well, that’s been interesting. I’ve become a little bit more mobile than I was the beginning of the year.”"

Hopefully that’s a good sign, that he’s getting some additional flexibility, and not a bad sign, that he’s over stressing the remaining non-fused parts of his back. His whole recovery is an experiment.

One thing that has been surprising to many and was an unknown for Woods at the start of 2018 is how positively the fans in golf have reacted to his latest comeback.  In St. Louis at least, he played through a thick sea of humanity on every hole.

"“This entire year has been so different. I’ve had excitement. I’ve had people into it over the years, but this has been so different,” he said. “We go back to how everyone received me at Tampa, that was very special and I had not received ovations and warmth like that.”"

The Valspar in Tampa was where he nearly tied Paul Casey to throw the tournament to extra holes.

The next week at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Woods was again in contention until he hooked a drive out-of-bounds on the 16^th hole.

After that, wherever Woods teed it up, he dominated the proceedings. He believes people have some empathy for his injuries.

"“This year has been — I guess everyone knows I’ve struggled and I’ve had some back pain and I’ve gone through four surgeries and I’m trying to work my way back, and it’s been tough. People understand that,” he said.  “I think that everyone can relate to that because they have all gone through it. Everyone has got aches and pains, and whether you’ve had kids or not, you get to your 40s, you’re feeling it, and I’m not the only one.”More from Pro Golf NowGolf Rumors: LIV set to sign Masters Champion in stunning dealFantasy Golf: Grant Thornton Invitational DFS Player SelectionsBrutal return leaves Will Zalatoris looking towards 2024Stars You Know at World Champions Cup Starts Thursday at ConcessionFantasy Golf: An Early Look at the 2024 Masters Tournament"

In addition, he thinks there are probably some 40-50-60-year-olds in the gallery who know what it’s like to compete against the younger set.  But whatever the reason, he has been grateful for the support.

“They know that I’m at the tail end of my career,” he noted about the fans. “I don’t know how many more years I have left. But I’m certainly not like I was when I was 22.  Forty-two, it’s a different ballgame.”

That does not stop him from wanting to collect more major championships and more tournament titles.  Importantly, he believes he can.

“I feel my next wins are coming soon. How soon, I don’t know, but I’m putting myself there in tournaments now,” he said. “I’ve done it two of the last three tournaments I’ve played in and they were big events, so I’m not that far away from getting it done.”

Is No. 80 coming in the next month?  Watching for it will certainly make the FedEx Playoffs more exciting than ever.