Tiger Woods Overcomes Odds, Returns to Winner’s Circle at Tour Championship

Posted on: September 24, 2018, 07:21h. 

Last updated on: September 24, 2018, 08:30h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
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Tiger Woods is in the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour for the first time in more than five years. It’s a comeback story that seemed destined to remain fiction at this time a year ago.

Tiger Woods golf odds FedEx Cup
After having his back up against the wall for several years, Tiger Woods turned around his career at East Lake. (Image: Sam Greenwood/Getty)

Woods underwent his fourth back surgery in April 2017, and was arrested for DUI on pain and sleep medications the following month after he was found incoherent at the wheel near his home in Jupiter, Florida. In September 2017, he was finally cleared by his medical team to begin practicing his short game.

However, his return remained questionable. The 14-time major champion would later admit he too was unsure whether his legendary golf career was over.

On Sunday, he proved it isn’t by winning the Tour Championship for a third time. He began the week at 12/1 to win, with a $100 wager netting $1,200. The victory marked his 80th career title on the PGA Tour.

I was pretty emotional when Rory [McIlroy] was tapping out,” Woods explained. “I looked around, and the tournament was over because I’d already put the bunker shot on the green, and I’d won 80. Eighty is a big number. I’ve been sitting on 79 for about five years now, and to get 80 is a pretty damned good feeling.”

Rose Wins Cup

Woods’ two-stroke victory landed him a $1.62 million first-place check, but he was far from the day’s big winner, at least financially speaking. That honor goes to Justin Rose, whose birdie on the 18th allowed him to narrowly win the FedEx Cup and its $10 million first-place prize.

Rose was one of five players who entered the week controlling their own destiny, as those handful of pros would win the Cup outright with a victory at East Lake. A Sunday struggle led Rose to a final round 73, but it was enough to win golf’s largest financial payday.

Rose and Bryson DeChambeau began the Tour Championship tied for the shortest odds of winning the FedEx Cup at 2/1.

Woods needed a series of scenarios to go his way to hoist the FedEx Cup, and aside from Rose, they did. Tiger entered the final playoff event long at 60/1 to win the playoffs. He finished second, and claimed a $3 million bonus on top of his $1.62 million win.

Golf Ahead

Though the Tour Championship concludes the 2017-18 FedEx Cup series, there’s plenty of exciting golf remaining on the 2018 calendar.

The Ryder Cup will be played September 28-30 in Paris, and Team USA is the favorite at -180, and the Europeans the underdogs at +150. A $100 bet on the Americans nets $55.56 should they win, while the same wager on Europe returns $150.

After the international team competition, Tiger and Phil Mickelson will go head-to-head in Las Vegas for a winner-take-all $10 million shootout on November 23. With his strong play, Woods is becoming a heavy favorite (-220) and Lefty’s line continues to lengthen (+180).