The highly-charged event ended with one player ending a long victory drought, just not the one most fans came to see.
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Searching for his first PGA win since 2013, Woods was the centre of attention all Sunday, in just his fourth official event back after undergoing spinal fusion surgery.
Woods started the final round one shot back and briefly tied for the lead when he birdied the first hole.
He got his stiffest challenge from Tolles, who was bogey-free before he three-putted the tough par-3 17th.
Woods looked as though he might seize control after his birdie on No. 10 to reach eight under, tied for the lead.
Woods struggled to make inroads during the final round but set up a grandstand finish by draining a stunning 44-foot birdie on the penultimate hole, but was unable to replicate it at the last. I hadn’t played there in a couple years because of my back and I wanted to play there a couple years ago.
After a dramatic birdie on No. 17, Woods had a chance to force a playoff on the 18th, but his lengthy birdie attempt didn’t have enough steam.
The 40-year-old has 17 victories on the European Tour, the most recent coming at the KLM Open in September of 2014. He shot 77 and tied for 16th.
Woods hasn’t won since his seven-shot victory in the Bridgestone Invitational in August 2013. Each week has been a little better. This was his 10th start in the tournament… Woods finished T2. Check out his birdie tries on the final two holes below. “I’ve been ready to go”.
“I keep getting just a little better and a little sharper”. He is an eight-time victor at Bay Hill, and the euphoria over his return is sure to reach even higher decibels. “I had a good shot at winning this golf tournament”.
In the case of Casey, that meant making putts when it mattered-on the weekend. He was in the middle of the fairway on the 18th.
Woods lifted his golf club into the air and touched the bill of his cap in response, before raising his hat fully off his head and waving as the ovation grew louder. At the Valspar, Woods played a series of deft pitch shots, somehow only holing out once and finishing the week fifth in strokes gained-around the green.
That left Casey the victor, finally. “We’ve been calling for one all year”.
Patrick Reed (T2): What a day for golfers wearing red and black on Sunday. Woods is now at nine-under with England’s Justin Rose.
“Tiger, this is what you’re meant for”, shouted one spectator. However the lengthy putt falls a foot short and he taps in for par.
“This ignited it for me”, Rose said upon watching a replay of his eagle. I thought somebody might come out of the pack from 5, 6 and shoot a low one but no one really did anything except for Paul.
They finished with 11-under totals of 277 at the DLF Golf and Country Club.
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The Valspar Championship TV coverage begins at 1 pm EST on Golf Channel and runs through 3 pm EST. Jordan Spieth is playing Innisbrook after missing past year.
