How Good Was Tiger's Putting at Trump Doral?

The announcers and analysts raved about Tiger's putting this week, and rightly so.  Over the last few years I have noticed that the winners on the PGA Tour tend to separate themselves in the ranges between 10 and 20 feet.  Certainly 4 - 10 foot putts are important but all the contenders putt well inside 10 feet or they would not be there.  It is consistently making the longer 1-putts that earmarks the winners.

Tiger exemplified this trend in his win at Trump Doral this week.  The graph above displays Tiger this week, my 2012 Winner's profile and a large sample of Tiger's rounds - mostly wins - that I have collected over the past several years (Tiger Past).

I find three things of particular note about Tiger's putting:
1.  Tiger made 6 of 11 putts, or 55%, in the 16 - 20 foot range this week.  Try this at home!  Here are some comparative number for perspective on just how good this was:

• 2012 Winners:  made 23% (or less than 3 of 11);
• PGA Tour Average for 2013:  made 17% (or less than 2 of 11); 
• 15-19 Handicap:  makes 6% (or less than 1 of 11).  This group will actually 3-Putt from this range almost TWICE as often as 1-Putt.

2.  What is going on in the 11 - 15 foot range, Tiger?  At just 3 of 13 (23%), Tiger is quite a bit below the 2012 Winners, and it seems to be a pattern.  More comparative data:

• PGA Tour Average for 2013:  30%
• Event average:  31%
• 15-19 Handicap:  11%
• @ 23% Tiger is about a 0 handicap.

3.  Tiger 1-Putted 61% of the 71 holes where he had a putting opportunity (One "off shore" chip in).  This is exceptional:

• 2012 Winners:  46%
• PGA Tour Average for 2013:   39%
• Event average:  44% (remember, a reduced field of Top players)
• 15-19 Handicap:  21%  

Congratulations Tiger!  Nice to see you smile - it's good for the game.