With one more PGA TOUR win, Tiger Woods will break his tie with Sam Snead and become the solo record-holder for most career victories in TOUR history with 83. Each time Tiger tees it up, we’ll look at his chances. Here’s a CHASING 83 preview entering this week’s The Genesis Invitational, the tournament that he hosts and that supports his foundation. Asked what it would mean to break the record this week at his own event – and to finally conquer Riviera Country Club, a course he’s never won on as a PGA TOUR pro – Tiger replied: “Hopefully I can put it together this week and we’ll have a great conversation on Sunday.â€� RELATED: TOUR pros: My first time with Tiger | Power Rankings RECENT FORM In his last start at the Farmers Insurance Open, Woods produced a backdoor top-10, moving into a tie for ninth after a final-round 70. It was a solid week at Torrey Pines for Woods, who was making his first start in the 2020 calendar year and his first on TOUR since winning the ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP last October. During that weekend, Woods was asked to assess his total number of TOUR wins. “I’ll just say what 82 means: Consistency over a long period of time,â€� Woods replied. “You’re not going to win them all, and I’ve put myself there in the position to win a lot of events. I’ve lost my share of events, but in order to win them, you’ve got to be there a lot. Over the course of 20-plus years out here, I’ve been pretty consistent.â€� Between his win in Japan and his start at Farmers, Tiger still made his presence felt. In early December, he played in his annual Hero World Challenge, an 18-man field in the Bahamas that he hosts to benefit his foundation. Woods got off to a slow start, shooting a 72 but followed with three rounds in the 60s to finish solo fourth, four strokes behind winner Henrik Stenson. Woods and the rest of his American team immediately flew to Australia for the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne. Woods, as player captain, had double duty. It turned out to be a very successful week for Tiger on both fronts. Not only did the U.S. Team rally in Sunday Singles to beat the Internationals, but Woods played a big part in the outcome. He was the only player on either side to win each of his matches, going 3-0-0 during the week. He led off the Americans’ charge on Sunday, taking down Abraham Ancer – the Internationals’ hottest player – 3 and 2 to set the table for the comeback. TOURNAMENT/COURSE HISTORY Woods has played in his hometown PGA TOUR event 13 times. He’s never won it, making The Genesis Invitational the TOUR event that Tiger has played the most without a win. The only other event in which he’s made double-digit starts without a win is THE NORTHERN TRUST (10 starts). Of those 13 starts, 12 have been at Riviera. Again, it’s the most times he’s played a course on TOUR without a win. The closest Tiger came to winning at Riviera came in 1999 when he tied for second with Davis Love III and Ted Tryba, two strokes behind winner Ernie Els. Woods started that final round in second with Els and Love III, but Els shot a 68 to Tiger’s 70. Woods made six starts over the next seven years but then didn’t play Riviera for 11 more years. He finally returned two years ago but missed the cut. Last year, he tied for 15th, making a third-round move with a 65 but failing to sustain the momentum in the final round, shooting a 72. Tiger pinpointed one part of his game that seems to come up short when he plays Riviera. “I have historically never really putted well here,â€� he said this week. A year ago, he ranked 38th in the field in Strokes Gained: Putting. In 2005, he ranked 69th. In 2004, he ranked 48th. So he has a point. For a full report on Tiger and his history at Riviera, check out the TOUR Insider on Wednesday.
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