Woods was “ecstatic” after carding a final-round 72 for an excellent par whole of 288.
World primary Scottie Scheffler fired a bogey-free 68 on Sunday for a three-shot win within the Hero World Problem, the place 15-time main champion Tiger Woods stated he’d “come a good distance” in his first event since April.
Scheffler had 4 birdies in his four-under par 68 on the Albany golf course within the Bahamas, his 20-under whole of 268 beating Austrian Sepp Straka by three photographs to offer him the trophy after runner-up finishes to Viktor Hovland the final two years.
Match host Woods, who hadn’t performed since ankle surgical procedure within the wake of his third spherical withdrawal on the Masters, stated he was “ecstatic” with how the week had gone after carding a final-round 72 for an excellent par whole of 288.
Woods shook off a double-bogey on the second gap with birdies on the third, fifth and sixth. After bogeys at eight and 11 he birdied 14 and 15 earlier than a bogey at 16 that left him 18th within the 20-player area.
“I believe I’ve come a good distance,” stated Woods, who stated this week that he was now not taking part in with ache from leg accidents suffered in a 2021 automotive crash however nonetheless battled persistent again ache.
“From being a bit of bit rusty to taking part in 4 days and knocked off a whole lot of rust which was nice, and simply the physicality of really taking part in and competing once more — I haven’t performed this shortly,” he stated.
“I want I might have performed a bit of cleaner however there’s at all times subsequent time.”
Having accomplished 72 holes, Woods stated he thought his estimate that he might play one event a month in 2024 “appears cheap.”
“It offers me a few weeks to get well, every week to tune up. Possibly I can get right into a rhythm. That’s what the plan was going into subsequent 12 months and I don’t see why that will change.”
On a string
Woods, who stated all week his health was his fundamental concern, stated the best way he drove the ball was the perfect facet of his sport this week.
“I drove it on just about a string all week,” he stated. “So it’s not like I’ve to go and try to discover one thing the subsequent few weeks or one thing going into subsequent 12 months. What I’ve been engaged on is true there.”
The victory within the unofficial occasion noticed Scheffler finish 2023 on a excessive notice, 9 months after he claimed his sixth US PGA Tour title on the Gamers Championship.
Since then placing issues had held Scheffler again, however this week confirmed his latest work with placing coach Phil Kenyon was paying off.
“I used to be optimistic going into this week,” Scheffler stated. “It’s good to see some quick outcomes from the stuff we’ve been engaged on. It was good to see some putts go in.”
Straka surged into second place with eight birdies in an eight-under par 64 for 271.
“It was nice, only a nice spherical of golf,” he stated. “My putter lastly heated up. I felt just like the final two days I hit the ball very well, didn’t make a whole lot of putts and at the moment I lastly made just a few putts.”