The 2024 PGA Championship is almost upon us, and while anticipation builds at Valhalla Golf Club, I am greeted with a familiar feeling.
Each time we get to a Major Championship, there is usually one man who immediately peaks my attention... and the golf romantic within me can't switch off the unrelenting belief that we could be about to witness history once again.
Tiger Woods arrived early to get his PGA preparations going in Kentucky, sporting a throwback goatee that sent my nostalgia levels soaring.
While it's great in itself to see him tee it up for a second Major in a row, I certainly don't think he is there to simply make up the numbers. A strong start at The Masters last month sent me down a bit of a Tiger-rabbit-hole, if you will, and I think these two stats suggest that Woods still has what it takes to win the PGA Championship...
Can Tiger Woods Win The PGA Championship?
Tiger's record in this event is, well, ridiculous! In a ten year stretch, between 1999 and 2009, he won The PGA Championship four times and finished runner-up on two other occasions.
Clearly, he isn't that player anymore and it would foolish to expect him to be, but after his first couple of rounds at The Masters it appears he still has plenty of that trademark Tiger-flair.
To win a Major Championship, at Valhalla or any other Major venue, the key is often staying out of trouble. Hitting plenty of fairways and scrambling well around-the-greens is a recipe that will serve you well at this level, and that is something Tiger did impressively at Augusta.
In round one and two at The Masters, Woods hit 79% of fairways, eclipsing the field average on both occasions. His tournament average of 68% of fairways hit is more than the last three winners of The PGA Championship managed en-route to victory, and when Woods is out of position it becomes clear that he still has plenty of shots to escape trouble.
The last three winners of the PGA Championship have ranked inside the top-18 for Strokes Gained (SG): Around-The-Green, which was the strongest area of Tiger Woods' game at Augusta National last month.
A rainy run around Valhalla for #TeamTaylorMade. 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/7U7oOG0xatMay 15, 2024
Tiger ranked 21st for SG: Around-The-Green, and was 2nd in the field for this metric during round two. He also straddled the field average for Sand Saves at The Masters, and his performance with the putter was a source of encouragement.
The opening two rounds at Augusta National saw Tiger in the top-30 for SG: Putting, and while there are some questions marks over his ability to get round a golf course effectively, through four rounds of intense competition, his touch and feel on-and-around the greens remains very much there.
When you consider the profile of a player with his history and pedigree, who can find fairways consistently and scramble efficiently, it then becomes harder to rule him out of contention at any level. Add into that a putter that can get really hot, plus the ability to send the ball over 300 yards off the tee, and I still believe we have at least one more fairytale ending in the bank for arguably the best player to ever play the game of golf.
