As Tiger Woods prepares for his first competitive appearance of 2024 at this week's Genesis Invitational on the PGA TOUR, we look back at five of his victories on the DP World Tour.
1998 Johnnie Walker Classic
A year after his "win for the ages" at the Masters Tournament when he became a Major champion for the first time in record-breaking fashion, Woods claimed just his second professional title outside of the United States. He arrived in Thailand as the world's top-ranked golfer for the season-opening event, which was also co-sanctioned by the PGA Tour of Australasia at the time. Heading into the final round at Blue Canyon Country Club, Woods looked to be out of the running with an eight-shot deficit to defending champion Ernie Els. But he carded a closing seven-under-par 65 to set the clubhouse target at nine under in Phuket and watched on as Els struggled. A bogey at the 17th saw the South African fall behind but he birdied the last to force a play-off which Woods duly won on the second extra hole. "I've never done anything like that as a professional," said Woods of his comeback. "It was pretty amazing." Two years later, Woods returned to Thailand to reclaim the Johnnie Walker Classic title for a second time with a three-shot win at Alpine Golf & Sports Club in Bangkok.
1999 WGC-American Express Championship
In 1999 a new era in professional golf was ushered in with the launch of the World Golf Championships, featuring the world's best golfers. Thethird and final event in the inaugural year saw Valderrama play host to a thrilling climax in Spain. Woods found himself one shot adrift of the 54-hole lead held by home favourite Miguel Ángel Jiménez and countryman Chris Perry. But a brilliant burst of scoring after the turn in the final round which saw Woods pick up five shots in a five-hole stretch to open up a three-shot lead after the 14th. But after spinning his approach back into the water at the par-five 17th to make a triple bogey he found himself one shot adrift. He gathered himself quickly however to card a closing par, before Jiménez made a bogey as the pair finished at six under. A birdie on the first play-off hole sealed victory for Woods - his fourth in as many starts worldwide and capped a stellar year which saw him claim his second Major title at the US PGA Championship earlier that season.
2006 Dubai Desert Classic
Rich in heritage, the Dubai Desert Classic has long attracted the best golfers in the professional game. In what was his third appearance at the event, having recorded top-five finishes on his previous two visits, Woods emerged victorious on a dramatic final day over the Majlis Course. Two shots behind with two holes to play, Woods produced a birdie-birdie finish to get into a play-off with defending champion Els as Richard Green was unable to capitalise on a one-shot lead heading down the last as a closing bogey saw the Australian fall one shot short. Like in Thailand eight years earlier, Woods got the better of Els on the first extra hole after the three-time winner from South Africa put his second shot into the lake protecting the par five 18th green. Woods returned to the Emirates Golf Club two years later to win the title for a second time, holing a 25-foot birdie putt to cap a stellar Sunday charge.
2006 WGC-American Express Championship
The 2006 American Express Championship at The Grove proved to be the only World Golf Championship to be staged in the UK. Held a week after Team Europe won the Ryder Cup at The K Club in Ireland, Woods was a class apart as he cruised to a comprehensive eight-shot victory. Having earlier that year taken his haul of Major wins to 12 with victories at both The Open and the PGA Championship, he won a sixth consecutive strokeplay event. Woods remarkably made eagle at the par-five 18th hole in each of the first three rounds - the first time he had achieved the feat in his career. "I hit the ball really well, for all 72 holes to be honest, and it is a lot of fun when you feel like you can control your golf ball that well," Woods said after his win.
2019 Masters Tournament
While there will long be discussion about which is the best of Woods' 15 Major wins to date, there is no doubting that his triumph at Augusta National in 2019 continues to resonate unlike any other. Twenty-two years on from winning in his first Major as a professional at the very same venue, Woods realised one of the great sporting comeback stories as he ended an 11-year wait to claim a 15th Major. After undergoing his fourth back surgery, a spinal fusion, in early 2017 there were serious doubts if he would ever play the game again. But how he confounded expectations, winning his fifth Green Jacket at the age of 43 as a closing 70 saw him finish one shot ahead of countrymen Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Xander Schauffele. In his illustrious career, it was the first time he had ever come from behind in the final round to win one of golf's four most prestigious titles. "It will be up there with one of the hardest I've had to win because of what has transpired in the last couple of years," he said.
