Tiger Woods Wins Arnold Palmer Invitational

Tiger Part II officially began today.  Woods notched his seventh victory at Bay Hill Club and Lodge during the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and re-asserted his position of dominance in the world of golf.   

“I’d say he’s back,” quipped caddie Joe LaCava after the victory. 

Woods is definitely, absolutely, totally, completely, entirely unquestionably back. Back from injuries. Back from embarrassment. Back to the winner’s circle. Ready to resume the assault on Jack Nicklaus’ major record in eleven days.   Even the red shirt seemed a brighter color than it has been the last two years.

“It was a progression, “ Woods said after winning.” It basically started in Australia.”

So, put it down in your diary. It is the week Tiger Woods began playing Tiger Woods Golf again.  He made four birdies on the front, two on par fives and two on par fours.  Then the wind really picked up and the birdie barrage stalled.

Challengers made early mistakes and after that were unable to make up any ground. 

Graeme McDowell drained an improbable 51-footer at the sixth for eagle, and for a few moments, it looked like he would rise to the occasion as he had at Chevron two years ago.  But he could not keep the charge going.

By the turn it appeared that Woods knew he was going to win it, they knew he was going to win it, and he knew they knew he was going to win it.   He did it with good play and without histrionics. No one was able to match him due either to the conditions or because they were pressing and trying to catch up.

Half way through the back nine, it seemed that only a meteor falling on Woods could keep him out of the winner's circle. 

“He was a man on a mission,”  La Cava said.

Before the round started, 76 percent voters on PGATour.com thought Woods would win the tournament.  It turns out they were right.   

What does this victory mean?  According to Woods earlier in the week: “72.”

But even he knows it means more than that.  It means the questions about his knee, his Achilles and mental state have all been answered.  The closet holding the green jackets has opened just a little to give him a peek inside.

Kathy Bissell is a Golf Writer for Bleacher Report. Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand or from official interview materials from the USGA, PGA Tour or PGA of America.