Woods' Final Round 65 Takes Memorial - US Open Tune-Up

If anyone questions whether Tiger Woods has recovered from his knee surgery, they need look no further than today's final round of Jack's Memorial Tournament. Woods' closing 65 overtook all pretenders and led to his 4th Memorial trophy. Rebounding from a 16th hole bogey that left him in a four way tie for the lead, Woods simply birdied his last two holes finishing at -12, a solitary stroke over tenacious Jim Furyk. As Average Golfer predicted, third round leaders Brian Davis and Matt Bettencourt wilted under the major-like pressure to finish 3rd and 5th respectively. Jonathan Byrd inserted himself into the tie for 3rd and Matt Kuchar and Davis Love III joined the knot for 5th.

At the start of today's final round you'd have gotten better odds that Woods would rally from his four shot deficit to win the thing than you would that he'd hit every fairway. Well, he did both. Despite Muirfield's generous landing areas that's still an impressive feat leading up to this year's US Open at Bethpage Black. Any questions about his iron play were answered on the 18th hole today with a moonshot 7 iron from 186 yards to 14 inches. My go- to club from 186 isn't an iron. Doubts about his putting were put to rest by Muirfield's icy greens that registered well above 12 on anyone's Stimpmeter. That sort of performance from all areas of his game only means that Woods is the prohibitive favorite in two weeks to win his 15th major. Woods vs. the field is the only bet worth looking at.

Whether you like Woods or routinely root against him, your eyes will be on him in two weeks. That makes the PGA Tour and the networks happy and prosperous.



Til' next,