Sorry Young Guns, but Tiger Woods Still Knows How to Close the Door

All tied up with three holes left to play?

Not a problem.

There was no "deer caught in headlights look" as Tiger Woods stepped onto the tee at the par-five 16th hole knowing full well that this was probably his final opportunity to seize the lead from Hunter Mahan, who had blistered Congressional Country Club earlier in the day with a course record-tying 62.

Woods meticulously laid up on the 16th after his drive found the left rough. Following a substandard pitch shot from just 33 yards, there was still not an ounce of worry on his face as he lined up the 19-foot birdie putt that would give him the outright lead with just two holes left to play.

Woods calmly rolled in the 19-footer with the same ease that most amateurs sink two-foot tap-ins.

“I put myself in a spot where I had to make a 20-footer to even give myself a lead,” Woods said after his round. “If I don't make that putt, then the last two holes, you can make bogey and lose the golf tournament. So it was an important putt to make."

While the thousands of spectators in the gallery were screaming at the top of their lungs, Woods slowly walked towards the hole to retrieve his ball while nodding his head as if to say, "Sorry young guns, but I still know how to win a golf tournament."

Following a par on the 17th hole, Woods stepped onto the tee box at the treacherous par-four 18th, needing a par to win the tournament outright and avoid a sudden death playoff with Mahan.

Once again, there was not an ounce of concern on Woods’ face.

In recent years, it seems as if most tour professionals that find themselves in this situation look as terrified as a Wall Street CEO about to address a room full of livid shareholders.

Woods, on the other hand, looked as if he was just out for a Sunday afternoon stroll with his good buddy Steve Williams.

Woods striped a three wood right down the middle of the fairway, knocked his approach shot to 17 feet, and calmly two-putted for the win.

No big deal, just business as usual—which is exactly what separates Woods from the rest.

Young guns Anthony Kim and Hunter Mahan were nipping at Woods’ heels all afternoon.

Mahan was in the clubhouse at 12 under par, and Kim, who was playing alongside Woods in the final pairing, held a one-stroke lead over Woods through the first four holes before he began to drop off.

However, as we have seen time and time again, Woods did what he needed to do to win.

Woods needed a birdie down the stretch to avoid a sudden death playoff with Mahan, so he sank a 19-foot birdie putt on the par-five 16th hole.

“I was just kind of getting into my own little world," Woods said. “I tend to do that when the situation gets that way. I tend to get wrapped up in what I'm doing and where I need to place the ball, how I need to get it there, and you just get wrapped up in that and you forget what's going on around you."

Want to know how to win a golf tournament?

It’s quite simple, really.

Just get it done down the stretch.

Of course, that’s a lot easier said than done. But Tiger Woods’ ability to do what he needs to do on the back nine on Sunday is what puts him head and shoulders above the rest—it’s as simple as that.