Scottie Scheffler has made great gains in his putting: add that to the rest of his top-ranked game, and he made it look easy with a three-shot victory in the Hero World Challenge.
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The world No.1, a runner-up in the Bahamas the last two years, played bogey-free at Albany and didn't let anyone get closer than two shots on the back nine as he ended the year with a four-under 68 and his fifth victory worldwide.
Australia's Jason Day (74) endured a back nine featuring four bogeys as he finished in a tie for 11th.
The week brought some positives for Tiger Woods, the tournament host playing for the first time since surgery to fuse his right ankle a few weeks after the Masters in April.
Woods finished 72 holes for only the third time in the last two years.
"I haven't done it with my ankle the way it is now," he said.
"I was excited each and every day to get through it and kind of start piecing rounds together again.
"I haven't done this in a long time so it was fun to feel that again."
Woods closed with a 72 and ended up 18th at even par, while Scheffler finished at 20-under 268.
Sepp Straka had three late birdies for a 64 to finish second, while Justin Thomas had a 67 to finish alone in third.
Scheffler led the PGA Tour in just about every important statistical category - off the tee, shots to the green - until he got onto the putting surface.
He sought help from highly regarded putting coach Phil Kenyon and is starting to see immediate results.
"I played solid and kept my distance," Scheffler said.
"I was just trying to hit good shots and get as many looks as I could for birdies."
Scheffler had not played since the Ryder Cup -- this was his first 72-hole tournament since the Tour Championship in late August.
Rarely is this holiday event without some measure of drama, and such was the case on Sunday.
Collin Morikawa was given a two-shot penalty before he teed off for using material in a greens-reading book on the fourth hole Saturday.
Turns out his caddie had used a level on the practice green and put some notations in the book. According to new rules, such notes can only come from traditional methods, without outside devices.
Morikawa was informed 15 minutes before his round, frustrated because he said he had been told by other officials and caddies it was OK.
"From our understanding, it was fine to use a level on the practice green and see how putts break and write that down," Morikawa, who carded a 68 to finish seventh, said.
"Obviously, it's not."
Australian Associated Press
