Tiger Woods eyes Memorial tournament win and Sam Snead’s PGA Tour record on return

Tiger Woods says there is “no reason” why he cannot make PGA Tour history this week with a win at his first competitive event since February.

Woods can win for a record 83rd time on the PGA Tourhas won his 82 PGA Tour titles in 66 fewer events than Sam Snead

The 44-year-old goes into the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio chasing an 83rd PGA Tour win that would eclipse Sam Snead’s mark of 82, set in 1965.

“I would like to say that I’m going to win the event,” said Woods, who has won the tournament a record five times.

“That’s my intent coming in, that’s my intent going into every event.”

Woods, who tied Snead’s record by winning the Zozo Championship in Japan last October, added: “Whether that plays out come Sunday, hopefully that will be the case.

“There’s no reason why I can’t do it again this week.”

Masters champion Woods missed tournaments prior to golf’s coronavirus shutdown in order to deal with back issues.

At his last Tour event in February – the Genesis Invitational – he finished last among the players to make the cut.

The 15-time major winner played in a charity event during the official coronavirus shutdown but has since chosen not to compete in behind-closed-doors PGA Tour events.

“I just felt it was better to stay at home and be safe,” said the American. “I’m used to playing with lots of people around me and that puts not only myself in danger but my friends and family.

“That’s something that I looked at and said, ‘I’m really not quite comfortable with that whole idea, let’s see how it plays out first’.”

When Woods does compete at Muirfield Village Golf Club from Thursday he will do so without the usual mass of cameras and spectators that follow his every move at events.

He admits he has been intrigued by events without fans and took to watching in order to process what golf may feel like in the near future.

“To have no one yelling, no one screaming, no energy, the social distancing, no handshakes, there’s nothing to feed off of energy-wise,” said Woods.

“It’s just a silent and different world.” – bbc.com