Prior to the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines last month, I had talked to a friend of mine who watched Tiger Woods play his practice round on the morning prior to the 1st round. He told me one thing that still rings in my ears “he’s winning the Grand Slam this year.”

He won the Buick fairly easily, had a challenge at the Dubai Desert Classic but he won that too. Two tournaments in, 2 wins. Now, Tiger advances to the 36-hole final at the Accenture Match Play Championship in Arizona tomorrow to face Stewart Cink. But one thing has been different in this tournament, Tiger has done something he had struggled to do in past years…come from behind.

In the first round, he faced 2008 FBR Open Champion J.B. Holmes and was 3 down with 5 holes to play going to the 14th tee, it looked as if Woods would exit quickly at the hands of Holmes.

But before you knew what happened, Tiger had birdied 14, 15, and 16 and all of the sudden the match was All Square, then came the 17th hole. Holmes watched helplessly as Tiger drained an improbable 40-foot eagle putt and what was a 3-up advantage for Holmes, now was a 1-up advantage for Tiger going to 18. Holmes had a chance to send the match to extra holes with a birdie putt, but when he couldn’t land it, he watched as Tiger closed out the match with a 12-foot par putt.

Tiger has needed all 18 holes twice and needed 20 to finally take down Australian Aaron Baddeley, though Baddeley had 2 chances to close out Tiger and couldn’t get it done.

So, on the eve of the final round of the Accenture Match Play Championship, not only is Tiger on the verge of winning this tournament for the 3rd time, but with a victory he will pass Arnold Palmer for 4th all time on the PGA Tour Wins List with 63 PGA Tour wins.

So, the answer to the question, can he be stopped. Realistically, the only golfer than can beat Tiger Woods, is himself.

Popularity: 3% [?]