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Tiger Woods hailed an ‘amazing’ week at the Valspar Championship as his comeback continued at a rate of knots with a runner-up finish at Innisbrook.

Starting the final round one shot behind Canadian Corey Conners, the 14-time major champion required a birdie on the final hole to force a play-off with Paul Casey but saw his lengthy putt come up a couple of feet short, resulting in the Englishman’s first PGA Tour win since 2009.

Afterwards, the 14-time major champion took to Twitter to thank the legions of fans that followed him around the course and also at home during his Sunday title challenge and, in tweeting, ‘Man I’ve missed this’, the feeling among the vast majority of golf fans was mutual.

Until the 17th hole, a final round that promised so much was heading towards being a damp squib with Woods struggling to get any momentum with one birdie and one bogey for his first 16 holes.

Then, he drained a lengthy birdie putt and the crowd – and social media – went wild, but unfortunately Woods was unable to replicate that on 18. Nevertheless, the 42-year-old is content with his progress as he gears up for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which he’s won no fewer than eight times.

“I think that I’ve got a little bit better than I was a couple weeks ago at Honda, keep getting a little bit better and sharper and today wasn’t quite as sharp as I would like to have had it but I had a good shot at winning this golf tournament,” he said. “Couple of putts here and there would have been a different story.

“I’m very excited [about Bay Hill]. It’s a golf course I like. I’ve played well there throughout the years and just haven’t been back in a couple years. Nice to get back.”

Casey, meanwhile, finished his round over an hour before Woods after posting a six-under-par 65 and said that before teeing off on Sunday, he believed that Woods would win.

“It’s the only time he’s congratulated me immediately after a victory,” he said. “Normally it’s the other way around. That’s something special.

“I loved his putt on 17. That was amazing. I thought he was going to hole the one on 18. I’m sure he was disappointed he didn’t get the victory.

“I actually thought he was going to win today before the round started. I thought it was just teed up beautifully for him. I said a couple times if I don’t win this thing I actually want Tiger to win it. I’m glad it’s this way.”

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