Improved driving accuracy makes Woods close to unbeatable

2007-09-17

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By Andrew Both PA SportsTicker Golf Writer

ATLANTA, Georgia (Ticker) - Driving accuracy, or lack thereof,has long been the only discernible weakness in Tiger Woods''game. But he has improved so much in that department recentlythat he really has become all but unbeatable.

Since a mediocre performance at the Open Championship in July,Woods has triumphed in four of his past five starts by acumulative 20-stroke margin, and finished second in the oneevent that he did not win during this period.

"I think my driving has gotten better. I feel I''m able to workthe ball better both ways than early in the year," said Woods,who is 45-under par over the past two weeks, shooting 22-underto win the BMW Championship at Cog Hill last week, beforefinishing 23-under at the Tour Championship on Sunday.

Even more frightening for the other players is that the31-year-old says he has probably not reached his prime, even ifit''s the sort of thing you only realize in retrospect.

"I don''t know when it''s going to be," Woods said. "Do you wantme to tell you it''s January 5th of such-and-such a year?

"The whole idea is to keep improving. When all is said and done,you can rack the cue and go home and retire, say these were mypeak years. But when you''re at it, you''re always trying to getto the next level."

Woods was not seriously challenged during the final round atEast Lake, his 23-under 257 total being the lowest of his careerby two strokes.

He posted his 61st career victory on the US PGA Tour, andimproved to 41-3 when leading into the final round. No one hasever been as good at playing with the lead although curiously,two of his three defeats have come at East Lake.

In 2000, he finished second after sharing the lead into thefinal round, while in 2004 he also finished runner-up aftersharing the 54-hole lead.

Woods won the tour''s new FedEx Cup series without playing thefirst of the four so-called playoff events, earning $10 million.

Towards the end of his press conference, Woods was asked whetherhe was a better player now than in 1999 and 2000. He won 17times on tour in those two years, while he has won 15 times inthe past two years.

"I think I have a better understanding by far of how to play thegame than I did back then, and certainly have a lot more shotsto get me around the course than I did then," Woods said."That''s just seven-to-nine years of more experience,understanding all the mistakes I''ve made and how to improve. Mycourse management skills have certainly improved over theyears."

All of which must make his rivals, if you can call them that,shudder at the thought that Woods is several years from the ageat which most golfers peak.

It might still be too early to call him the greatest ever, butit surely won''t be long before there is no doubt.