Title was reward for patience

Tiger Woods pocketed US dollars 10million and claimed it was a just reward for an 搖nbelievable grind?

Woods was crowned 2009 FedEx Cup champion after finishing second behind Phil Mickelson at the Tour Championship in Atlanta, Georgia, his consistency over the year being rewarded with the massive bonus.

It was the world number one抯 second victory in the three-year history of the FedEx Cup, having missed last year抯 play-off series at the end of the PGA Tour season due to reconstructive knee surgery.

Returning to the game in February after an eight-month lay-off, Woods won six times, with his most recent win ?by eight shots at Cog Hill in Chicago at the BMW Championship two weeks ago ?taking him to the top of the FedEx Cup standings.

Having held onto that lead at East Lake Golf Club at the weekend, Woods said: 揑t抯 been an unbelievable grind.

揑 was criticised at the beginning of the year for not playing enough but I didn抰 want to hurt myself at the beginning of the season.

揑 was coming back from reconstructive knee surgery. The last thing I wanted to do was stretch out the ligament and have the surgery all for naught.

揑 didn抰 do that. I got better and more healthy and more explosive as the year went on, and I was able to finish off these events because of how I managed my year. It was a long stretch to play this much golf.?br />
In the last nine weeks, Woods has won three times and finished second three times in seven events, claiming a tie for 11th in the other, and he admitted the effort had taken a toll.

揟here are days when you are a little bit flat, and you still have to get yourself up to play.

揟hat抯 part of the challenge when you play a lot of events ?and I抳e been in contention a lot so that adds to the stress ?and you start managing your practice rounds, your practice schedules, how many balls you hit after a round.

揧ou start managing all that to make sure you have enough energy day in and day out to bring it and shoot the lowest score you possibly can the next day.

揟he mental grind certainly is there because you抮e there in contention a lot, and that adds to how tired you become, and then you do it week in and week out and week in and week out, and it adds to it.?br />
Ultimately, Woods said he could take great satisfaction from having learned how to deal with those low moments and still emerge with successful results.

揑抦 very proud of that, how I抳e played this year, and definitely towards the end of the season. To be as consistent as I was day in and day out, it抯 not easy to do.

揃ut certainly I抳e had a few things going my way. You make a few putts here and there, you turn tides, I hit the ball really well at pretty much every event, and I really managed my game well.

揟hat抯 something that I抳e gotten so much better at.?/p>