Tiger Woods: Why PGA Championship Win Would Solidify Comeback

A win at the 2012 PGA Championship in Kiawah would solidify Tiger Woods' comeback to the sport of golf.

Tiger has accomplished what it takes to win three times this year, and boasts six Top 10 finishes this season, including a third place finish at last month's British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes.

Even more promising has been the two total missed cuts Tiger has experienced since the start of 2012. Consistency is the name of the game when it comes to talking comebacks, and Tiger certainly measures up in that regard. 

Woods is ranked No. 1 in the PGA money list this season, having earned nearly $5 million on tour so far. 

The only thing left for Tiger to do to solidify his return to the top of the sport is to win a major tournament. He has come close since the 2009 scandal that rocked him and his game to its core. 

Woods finished fourth at the 2010 Masters, 2010 US Open and 2011 Masters before finishing third at the 2012 Open Championship earlier this summer. 

With each strong performance Tiger gains more confidence and motivation to come out on top the next time.

It's been five years since Woods won the PGA Championship, a tournament which he has dominated on four occasions since 1999. So, to count him out this weekend at Ocean Course would be outright foolish. 

A record-tying fifth PGA Championship would not only earn Tiger Woods another year with the Wanamaker Trophy, but a 15th career major title, all along solidifying the return of one of golf's greatest.

A PGA Championship would signal Tiger's first major win since the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines, before the scandal and before his game hit an all-time low. 

Though I would argue that Tiger has already completed his comeback, based on his three PGA tournament wins in 2012 and his No. 1 ranking in the money list, some won't crown his return until he breaks the longest major drought of his career.

Regardless of what constitutes a successful return to the top in Woods' case, there is absolutely no denying that Tiger's comeback is complete if he wins at Ocean Course this weekend.

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