Tiger Woods has big things in store for 2019 PGA Tour season

Tiger Woods believes he’ll win his ‘fair share’ of PGA tournaments in 2019. The main goal: winning his 15th major at one of three courses where he’s won before

Coming off a season that he admits he never saw coming, Tiger Woods believes 2019 will be even better.

Woods, while in Melbourne this week to promote next year’s Presidents Cup, told Golf.com that he has much loftier goals for next season than he did at the start of 2018.

At this time last year, Woods was 1,199th in the World Golf Rankings and was just hoping to be able to play on the PGA Tour again. He went on to have seven top-10s and two runner-up finishes, including at the PGA Championship.

He ended the year by winning the Tour Championship in September, his first PGA Tour title in five years.

He admits that his successful comeback from back surgery has increased his expectations going forward in his career.

"“If you’d given me those results this time a year ago, my expectations were totally different. I was just hoping to finish an event,” he said in the interview. “So, 2019 is going to be exciting for me, knowing I can play and compete at the highest level again.”"

Looking forward to the upcoming season, there are many things for Woods to be excited about. The first three major championships are at courses where he’s won before: Augusta National, the black course at Bethpage State Park and Pebble Beach.

He will also captain the American team for the Presidents Cup at Royal Melbourne in December.

One thing Woods will be careful to avoid, however, is burning himself out. He played 18 events in 2018, a figure he’s exceeded only one other time since 2005. That included all four FedEx Cup playoff events and the Ryder Cup.

Woods has also had a hectic schedule the past few weeks. After playing The Match against Phil Mickelson in Las Vegas on Thanksgiving weekend, he went to the Bahamas for his own event, the Hero World Challenge, where he finished 17th in the 18-player field.

He then flew to Melbourne for a few days of Presidents Cup promotion.

By the end of the year Woods was noticeably exhausted. He failed to capture a point for Team USA in Paris, and played poorly while losing to Mickelson. It’s a mistake he says he won’t make again.

"“I’ve admitted I played way too much at the end. My body wasn’t prepared for that,” he said. “Certainly, I don’t foresee myself playing as much as I did this year. This next year is about peaking at the right times and staying fit.”"

As for whether he thinks he’ll win more than once in 2019, Woods says he likes his chances.

"“I’m not going to win every tournament, I never have. But if I can just get myself in contention, I think I’ll win my share,” he said."

If he does, he won’t just be watching when Team USA takes on Ernie Els’ International Team in Melbourne next year.