Johnson rolling, shares Valero Texas Open lead with Moore

Tiger Woods is back in action at the Zozo Championship. Our experts offer their best bets and some props for the tourney.

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Tiger Woods’ back will never be the same. He recently had another surgery on his left knee. There’s been neck pain and an oblique injury and a torn Achilles. One part of his body has never failed him, though. “I trust my hands, and today was no different,â€� Woods said after collecting win No. 82 at the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP. Related: Tiger Woods: Chasing 82 | Monday Finish: Healthy Tiger notches 82nd victory | Tiger’s wins by the numbers The question now is how high can he go? His win in Japan was his third victory in his last 14 starts. He shot one of the lowest 72-hole scores of his career thanks to impressive iron play and putting. Only one player finished within five shots of him. Ninety wins seems in play, but it’s also fair to wonder if he’ll get No. 83. It all depends on his body. As long as his back can support the torque and twisting necessary to create the requisite clubhead speed, his hands will find a way to get the ball in the hole. He showed again at the ZOZO that there isn’t a better pair in the game. Woods doesn’t overpower the course like he did decades ago. That’s not his M.O. anymore. Not after spinal fusion. Woods, 43, has to play a more calculating game, one that favors precision over power. It’s fun to watch, harkening back to a different era while displaying the full array of his skills. The modern game is dominated by data. Technology can quantify every nanosecond of the golf swing, but Woods, who grew up with persimmon and balata, reminds us that there’s still an artistry to this game. Woods uses a launch monitor, just like his peers, but he also doesn’t have a swing coach. “I have to rely on my own feels and play around with what my body can and cannot do,â€� he said in 2018. He has to lean on decades of experience instead of marathon range sessions. He can’t outwork the competition, but he can outthink it. His length no longer separates him from the competition, but his iron game still does. He hit 76% of his greens last week, ranking third in the field. He was first in putts per green hit, which shows that he was hitting it close and rolling it well enough to convert. He’s by far the best iron player of the ShotLink era, gaining +1.1 strokes per round with his approach play throughout his career. Jim Furyk is a distant second, averaging +0.7 strokes gained per round. Woods hits his approach shots high and low, and curves them left and right. In Japan, he used the winning formula that has worked dozens of times before. He removed the drama with his stellar approach play, making the final result feel like a foregone conclusion. He bogeyed his first three holes of the week, but there were few mistakes over the final 69 holes. He made just five bogeys the rest of the way and led by as many as five in the final round. He may have hit Monday’s first iron shot fat and given Hideki Matsuyama hope with that bogey, but Woods’ win wasn’t at risk after that. Matsuyama had to attempt two heroic bunker shots on the final hole just to have a chance. Woods won by three. The third-place finishers, Sungjae Im and Rory McIlroy, finished six back. Woods will get a much-needed break before returning at his Hero World Challenge and, presumably, the Presidents Cup. “It was a very long week,â€� Woods said after his win. He called it “stressfulâ€� and said winning wore him out. He once made winning look so easy that we forgot how hard it actually is. It doesn’t get easier as the years pass by. We saw this year how fickle the human body can be, especially one that has endured the wear and tear that Woods’ has. He looked poised to win multiple times after Augusta National, but didn’t contend for the remainder of the season because of that bothersome knee and the energy expended to capture a 15th major. Then he arrived at the ZOZO for his first start in two months, and first since his knee operation, and looked like the player we saw in April. Even he was surprised by his quick success after surgery.

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The calendar still says 2018, but Puma Golf is getting a jump on 2019. The Carlsbad, Calif., brand recently dropped not one, and not two, but three new models of shoes for the New Year. Whether you are looking to lace in, dial in, or lock in, Puma’s new IGNITE NXT platform provides three unique lacing options to ensure an optimized fit and feel. Much like a golf swing, all the models are built from the ground up. Puma’s Pro-Form TPU outsole features an organically-altered traction pattern. More than 100 directional hexagon lugs are strategically placed in proper zones of the outsole for a high level of traction throughout the swing. Sitting on top of this innovative outsole is Puma’s proprietary IGNITE midsole. Offering superior step-in comfort, this revolutionary foam runs from the heel to the toe and is made from a liquid polyurethane blend. The result is a shoe that is more responsive, releases energy more efficiently throughout the swing, and provides stable cushioning. With the NXT Collection, Puma has wrapped the IGNITE midsole in SOLESHIELD to keep the kicks looking fresh throughout a round. The razor-thin TPU film is vacuum-formed around the midsole, making it easy to remove dirt, grass, and sand. “As well-received as our current offerings of spikeless footwear have been, we’ve taken our game to a new level with the NXT collection that blends incredibly stylish silhouettes, rooted in Puma’s performance heritage, with three distinct closure options, to ensure the perfect fit and feel for every golfer,� said Andrew Lawson, Product Line Manager, Puma Golf. In the NXT Collection, Puma once again calls on its PWRFRAME technology to provide lightweight support and increased stability in high-stress areas of the upper. For an added level of support, the SOLELACE model brings a revolutionary lacing system to the course. With SOLELACE, the eyelets sit much lower on the shoe compared to a traditional laced shoe. A strong, yet lightweight piece with eyelets is attached directly to the midsole rather than the upper. This allows the laces to completely envelop the foot to provide 360-degree support. It also firmly connects the midsole and outsole to the foot to enhance ground feel. From a style standpoint, the models in the NXT Collection are sleek and sporty. The tabbed heel designs and flat-knit mesh uppers play into two of the biggest sneaker trends today. Not only is the mesh breathable, but it is completely waterproof. Each model is available in four colorways with hits of gold or silver branding elements. Look for Puma’s NXT Collection on store shelves now and on the feet of Puma brand ambassadors when the PGA TOUR season resumes in Hawaii in January.

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