Arnold Palmer Invitational 2012: Tiger Woods' Confidence Is Bad News for Tour

Tiger Woods' strong performance thus far at the 2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational has given the former No. 1 ranked golfer a lot of confidence as The Masters nears.

Woods hasn't won a PGA Tour event since 2009, but has been playing some fantastic golf this season. He has three top-20 finishes this season including a second place finish at the Honda Classic earlier this month. 

A confident Woods is bad news for the rest of the tour because there are no dominant golfers at the moment.

Rory McIlroy, who appears to be the next young star of the sport, hasn't show the ability to play at an elite level on a consistent basis yet, especially at major tournaments.

Tiger still has the massive experience of winning over 10 majors and having to brave the high-pressure moments that occur at the sport's most prestigious events.

If he comes into The Masters with a good amount of confidence, Woods will be a major threat to win the event.

The PGA Tour is in real trouble if Woods regains his swagger and the level of confidence he had during the mid-2000s. With the way he's playing right now, he's on his way to getting back to an elite level. He isn't there yet, but he's heading in the right direction.

Woods seems to be past the off-the-course issues that have bothered his personal and golfing life over the last few seasons, and seems to be enjoying the game again.

With a couple good months of golf to start the season, Woods appears to be on his way to the top of the golf world yet again.

Since the sport has no dominant players putting fear into the tour, there's no reason why Tiger Woods cannot become the best player in golf in the near future.