JUST SAYIN' - Ken Cohen

Virtually every golf broadcaster I've heard is making a big deal about Tiger Woods' comeback and three victories this year. They have all fallen for Tiger's explanation that his new swing is finally starting to consistently perform and that Sean Foley is the new sultan of swing.
Sorry Tiger, that's a nice story, but numbers tell the real story. And that is you are winning because you are putting better -- plain and simple. It's never been a secret that Tiger Woods wins and dominates when his short game is on. Because when it's on, it's the best short game in the history of golf. Forget about everything else -- Tiger goes as Tiger putts.

Here's all you need to know:
In 2013, Tiger is ranked 10th in putts per round; in 2012 he was 58th.

In 2013, Tiger is No. 1 in Strokes Gained; in 2012, he was 35th.

In 2013, he ranks 14th in One-Putt greens; in 2012, he was 38th.

In 2013, he is No. 1 in Total Putting; in 2012, he was 28th.

Conversely, Tiger's ball-striking statistics in 2012 were far superior to what they are now: he was 6th in Total Driving, now he is 67th; he was 29th in Greens in regulation, now he's 75th; he was 55th in Driving Accuracy, now he's 142. He was 4th in Scrambling, now he's 87th. In fact, in every single non-putting category, Tiger was much better in 2012 than he is 2013.

Still he's already won three times and is projected for a year far exceeding 2012.
Tiger will have you believe it's because of all the hard work he's put into transforming his swing. But that's just a self-fulfilling exercise.

He is on top of the golf world once again for the same reason he ruled it throughout the late 90s and early 2000s -- he is putting better than anyone else.
When his stroke is on and confidence high, Tiger Woods is the greatest putter the game has ever seen -- by far.
I'm not saying 2012 was an off year -- after all he won three times. But there were no majors, no Fed Ex Cup, no Ryder Cup -- nothing huge. And that's because he just didn't putt well enough.
We can't say that's done anything monumental yet this year, but the thinking here is he will -- because of those putting statistics.