Tiger Woods will win the PGA Championship because the heat is on

Golf’s final major is getting ready to start, and the players are sweating it. As the PGA Championship - the Cotton Bowl of the majors - prepares to get under way, the heat is soaring at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. But for one player, the heat truly is on.

Because Tiger Woods knows he can’t go through this year without winning a major. Other years are understandable, but not this one. Otherwise, he’ll have several months of having to listen to geniuses like myself postulate on whether or not fatherhood sapped his will to win.

Would that be fair? Of course not. But you just can’t knock out the ol’ column inches on Zach Johnson as easily as you can with Tiger. So it’s a must win for Woods.

And he’ll come through. His win at the Bridgestone Invitational proved his game and focus are again razor sharp. He will ride his stunning victory in ESPN’s insipid “Who’s Now” contest to his 13th career major title.

And after that, Woods will focus his remaining attention on the FedEx Cup playoffs - the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl of golf events. No predictions on whether Tiger will win the FedEx Cup, however. After his PGA Championship triumph, he may yet wind up finding better things to focus on.

–WKW