Rebuilt knee, fresh swing, same dominant Tiger

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Tiger Woods returned from knee surgery and regained his top form to win the FedExCup in 2009.

What will you remember about the 2009 season? That was the simple question we asked PGATOUR.COM staffers and writers, who responded with a series of short essays. As we finish up November, we'll post several each day. Click here for next essay

More Essays

• Click here for more essays • What will you remember? • VIDEO: Tiger's '09 highlights

He always has a little something tucked away, doesn't he?

Something to make us stop and scratch our heads. Something to amaze us. To make us smile.

Something that sets that bar just a little higher than anyone else can reach.

No, this wasn't the greatest season for Tiger Woods. He went 0-for-the-majors. He got blitzed in the final round by Phil Mickelson -- twice. He blocked more shots off the tee than we thought possible. Missed about as many sure-thing -- at least for him -- putts.

Cost him big several times.

But for just a moment try not to look at what he didn't do. Tuck away the expectations you had for him in 2009 and look at what he did. On a re-built knee.

Seven wins worldwide. Another FedExCup. Another money title, too.

The best player in the world was just trying to ease -- well, for him -- back into the game this time last year.

He'd hosted his own tournament from the sofa -- leg propped up. He'd started rehab by trying to keep up with his daughter Sam, a here-one-minute-there-another toddler with a devilish streak just like her dad. He was wondering what life would be like in a few years when he would be chasing son Charlie -- born last February -- in the never-ending, always-entertaining fracas.

He was ready to get back to hitting shots and playing rounds. He had never stopped working on his mental game. Could that first event come fast enough?

See where we're going?

Can you honestly remember any athlete coming back this fast and this strong from a total knee blowout? And a rebuilt swing, too? From limping to an iconic U.S. Open title at Torrey Pines to leaving at least one major on the table in 2009? Maybe a couple more.

We all know he wasn't satisfied. He never is. Even an honest-to-goodness Grand Slam wouldn't be a total A-plus-plus. There's always something else that he could have done; something that slid just out of his reach. Something that widens the gap -- even ever-so slightly -- between him and everyone else.

But seven wins, including six on the PGA TOUR? One win away from tying Jack Nicklaus for second on the all-time list. All with a new knee and modified swing?

Even the man himself had to admit to this being a pretty decent season. And very consistent. Although not always in the best of ways.

He had a little Phil Mickelson in him this year, didn't he? Just when everything was looking good, he put himself in tough spots off the tee and had to pull improbable shots out of his bag. His temper got the best of him at times, too. Like at the JBWere Masters when he one-hopped his driver into the gallery. They tossed it back.

And yes, the majors. A share of sixth at the first two, a missed cut and a runner-up finish to Y.E. Yang in the fourth -- where he held the lead with 18 holes to play, a heretofore unbeatable position for him.

Yet look at the PGA TOUR box score for 2009. He entered 17 events, won six of them and finished in the top 10 in eight more. Another was a share of 11th. Just one missed cut. And $10.5 million, not counting the hefty FedExCup bonus.

Wrap your arms around those numbers, add the knee and you have to admit it's another of his mind-bending seasons. Something no one else has come close to doing.

We see what could have been, but we're choosing to celebrate the glass three-quarters full. If you want to harrumph, stomp around and focus on what didn't happen and go with the one-fourth empty, that's up to you.

All we can tell you is he's already back at work looking forward to 2010. Get ready.

Melanie Hauser, a PGATOUR.COM columnist, has been the secretary/treasurer of the Golf Writers Association of America since 1998.