Tiger Woods: How Many Tournaments Will He Win in 2012?

The season is about to start and Tiger Woods is getting ready for his first 2012 appearance: Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship. The real question is not only if he can win it, but how many trophies will he hoist this season?

As I predicted earlier this week, Woods won't add another major to his personal count in 2012, and will have his best major performance at The Masters: a runner-up finish.

Now, regarding regular tournaments, Tiger's chances may be on the up. He showed improvement at the end of last season, from the Frys.com Open to the Chevron World Challenge.

If he continues to adjust to his swing, he can win two or three times, but not in the first trimester of the season. We will see real improvements after The Masters, which has always been a good stop for him.

In 1997, after he won the first major, he went to secure the Byron Nelson Golf Classic. After getting his second green jacket in 2001, he tied for third at the Byron Nelson, then won consecutive titles at the Deutsche Bank and Memorial Tournament. A year later, he earned his third Masters, tied for third at the Byron Nelson and successfully defended his title in Germany.

Of course, we're talking about the player he used to be, before all the drama regarding his private life. Nonetheless, from his 96 professional titles, Woods has won 26 percent of them in the first trimester. His best period is the third trimester with 29.1 percent of his victories. 

November is the month in which he has had the most success, with 15 titles; June is his worst, after capturing five titles. If we had to divide his seasons in half, the second is where he has hoisted more trophies with a total of 54, that's 56.25 percent.

In 2011 he showed improvement precisely in November, recording his best finish of the season: a third at the Emirates Australian Open.

Furthermore, don't be surprised if he gets to play more events from the European Tour, which will broaden his chances. Still, I insist, two or three tournaments is the number to focus on: one in the USA and two more in foreign events.