According to the 'King' of golf, Arnold Palmer, professional golfers drive for show and putt for dough - unless you're Tiger Woods that is. Woods, 29, made a mockery of golf's most famous edict when he won the 7.5 million dollar WGC-NEC Invitational on Sunday, pocketing 1.3 million dollars for his trouble.
The world number one admitted his putting was, at times during the final round, simply a disaster - but his driving was great.
"You know I hit the ball beautifully all day and just could not make a putt. Either I hit good putts that didn't go in or hit just atrocious putts that weren't even close. It was frustrating," admitted the American.
And his bad putts were bad. Twice in his outward nine he missed two par putts from inside five feet at holes three and five.
But Woods new found driving skills have released him and made him as much a danger as he was in 2000 and 2001 when he crushed the opposition with probably the best golf played in majors ever witnessed.
Nowhere was Woods new found confidence and length revealed than at the 18th when he needed a par to assure himself his fourth WGC-NEC victory.
Woods smashed his drive 413 yards into the right trees but with only 78 yards to the flag, he was able to punch the ball between them and run it up onto the green to assure victory.
By the time Woods had pocketed his 1.3 million dollar winner cheque, the official stats showed that he was second in driving - averaging 334.8 yards.
In putting he was tied for 29th.
But when Tour officials crunched all the numbers as Woods took his earnings in seven WGC-NEC outings to 5.3 million dollars, several figures were thrown up that are sure to bring the 'fear factor' back for his rivals.
-- Woods has won 24.86 per cent of tournaments he has entered.
-- Sixth season with at least five PGA Tour victories.
-- Has won 50 per cent of the 20 World Golf Championship events.
-- Has held/shared 36 54-hole leads on the PGA Tour and has won 33 of them.
-- Has won 10 majors.
All of this has been done in only 10 years on the Tour.
The hoped showdown between world numer two Vijay Singh never happened. Freshly-crowned USPGA champion Phil Mickelson faded away after an opening one-under 69.