PGA returns with drama, heartache and a playoff

OVERVIEW Tiger Woods has a lot more to celebrate than just his 43rd birthday as we wind down 2018. His 80th PGA TOUR victory at the TOUR Championship moved him within two wins of all-time leader Sam Snead. He’s knocking on the door for his 15th major after finishing second at the PGA Championship and T6 at The Open Championship last summer. His impending captaincy at the 2019 Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne has him thinking big. “Would I like to be a playing captain?â€� he said. “Yes.â€� The big question going into ’19 is how often can he summon the Tiger of old the way he did in winning at East Lake and, more fleetingly, at Innisbrook, Bay Hill, TPC Sawgrass, Bellerive and elsewhere last season. And if he can, could he conceivably turn golf on its head yet again? “Now it’s just about managing and making sure I’m fresh for events,â€� Woods said, “because I know I can win tournaments again.â€� Staying fresh is easier said than done, though, especially with the new condensed schedule. Woods admitted feeling exhausted by the end of last season, where in his seventh start in nine weeks and just days after winning the TOUR Championship, he went 0-4 in the Ryder Cup. (To be fair, three of those four losses came in team play and were hardly all on him.) Part of the problem was the weather, which Woods called stiflingly hot for much of the summer. “I was exhausted by the time I got to the Ryder Cup,â€� he said. “I was worn out mentally, physically, emotionally.â€� To avoid a similar fate in 2019, he said he will manage his schedule more closely and play fewer events. No doubt he has all the big tournaments circled. He’s won THE PLAYERS Championship twice, and has wins at Augusta National, Pebble Beach and Bethpage Black — three of the four major venues this season. But, really, Woods could win anywhere, anytime. Isn’t that the way it’s always been? — By Ben Everill Click here to see who else made the Top 30 list. BY THE NUMBERS FEDEXCUP UPDATE Current 2018-19 position: N/A Playoff appearances: 7 TOUR Championship appearances: 5 Best FedExCup result: Won the FedExCup in 2007 and 2009, and remains the only two-time winner. SHOTLINK FUN FACT Tiger Woods led the PGA TOUR in Strokes Gained: Approach-the-Green for the sixth time in his career. INSIDER INSIGHTS PGATOUR.COM’s Insiders offer their expert views on what to expect from Tiger Woods in 2019. TOUR INSIDER: Woods took time off after the Ryder Cup to work on his fitness in order to steel him for the long season ahead, which is good because he’s going to need some time on the practice grounds. He’ll want to shore up his driving, where he was 104th in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee last season. He was a respectable 39th in SG: Putting, but that obscured some un-Tiger-like days on the greens as he switched in and out of putters. Speaking of which, he also may need to test equipment, which was the final puzzle piece in 2018. Good thing Woods loves that stuff. Last season was fun, but if he feels as good or even better physically in 2019, watch out. — By Ben Everill FANTASY INSIDER: It isn’t 2013, so he’s not the caliber of a first-overall pick in any draft, but the gap between his needle-pinning narrative in the mainstream and his value in our world hasn’t been as tight since that five-win season. I slotted him No. 10 in my full-membership fantasy ranking in advance of 2018-19 in part with the thinking that he’s an automatic second-rounder in non-keeper formats. Playing time will always be a front-burner concern for the remainder of his career, but he should remain as reliable as he was in his prime because he’s logged an entire season absent of serious concern over his back. — By Rob Bolton EQUIPMENT INSIDER: Tiger’s Newport 2 GSS putter is basically a celebrity in its own right. You know, it’s the one with “Tiger Woodsâ€� stamped on the back bumpers and a single red dot on the back cavity and the face. After winning 13 of 14 majors with the putter, however, Woods and his Newport 2 putter were treading rough waters. He switched into a TaylorMade TP Ardmore 3 mallet-style putter for awhile in 2018, most notably using it during his 2018 PGA Championship second-place bid. Then he switched into a TP Black Copper Juno putter. Then, he was deciding between the old Newport 2 and the new Juno – at one point, literally holding each putter in one hand while practice putting. Ultimately, in a happy ending, he decided on the Newport 2 putter and he won the 2018 TOUR Championship. Aside from his putter saga, Woods also switched from TGR blades to TaylorMade “TW Phase 1â€� prototype irons in 2018. Is there a Phase 2 coming in 2019? Or, will Tiger switch into irons that are in the TaylorMade iron family? — By Andrew Tursky STYLE INSIDER: There are few surprises with Woods’ style. Over the years, he has blended traditional country club style with high-tech touches. Tiger improved his look in 2018 with slimmer fitting trousers and fewer white belts. While there is no official word from Nike, Tiger is due for a new shoe in 2019. Stay tuned. — By Greg Monteforte

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Keegan Bradley was dialed in with his putter on Friday, shooting a 7-under 65 to take a two-shot lead over J.T. Poston and Charley Hoffman after the second round of the Sanderson Farms Championship.

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