World No. 11 Phil Mickelson did not see Tiger Woods finish third in the Australian Open, but predicts an eventual return to form for the 14-time major winner.
“I’ve played with him a couple of times throughout the year, watched him hit it and you can tell that his swing speed has come back,” Mickelson said, according to AFP.
“So I don’t know when it will all click and he’ll be back to his normal self but I feel like it’s inevitable that he will get back there because he seems to keep getting better and better.”
Woods closed with 67 to finish two shots back of champion Greg Chalmers. It was his best full-field finish since his last win at the 2009 JBWere Masters. Prior to Sunday, his best full-field finish in the 25 events since his last win was a T-4 in the 2010 and ’11 Masters and ’10 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach.
The last time Woods shot four under-par rounds in a tournament was the ’10 Masters.