Tiger Woods hopes to find the missing ingredient in the last event of his injury comeback season and win the Tour Championship in Atlanta for an unprecedented third time.
Having undergone spinal fusion surgery last year, Woods has defied belief during a US PGA Tour season featuring multiple chances to earn an 80th career victory.
Among those events where Woods threatened the leaderboards on the back nine on Sunday include the Arnold Palmer Invitational and Quicken Loans National, as well as majors the British Open and US PGA Championship.
Winless worldwide since August 2013, Woods feels this year he has been unable to fire on all cylinders.
"Well, there's always something missing ... (some weeks) I haven't driven it well, I haven't hit my irons well, I haven't chipped well or I haven't putted well," Woods said on Wednesday.
"I just haven't put it all together at the same time, but hopefully it will come together this week."
However, Woods' season has been remarkable given he was unable to walk for days at a time last year due to crippling back pain.
Since returning officially to the US Tour in January, Woods' 17 events have yielded two runner-up finishes among six top 10s and 11 top 25s.
He amassed $US3,823,841 ($A5.3 million) in prize money before entering the rich, 30-man Tour Championship.
The 42-year-old Woods ranks No.1 on tour for strokes gained in iron play and 11th around the greens.
"I think I'm close to winning golf tournaments again; putting the pieces together (because) I've changed some of my technique as well as my equipment and it's very close," Woods said.
Woods, who won the Tour Championship in 1999 and 2007, is tied with rival Phil Mickelson (2000, 2009) for most victories at East Lake Golf Club in Atlanta.
Woods feels East Lake suits him perfectly - he owns the 72-hole scoring record (257) and the event's largest winning margin (eight strokes).
"It really does set up for a good ball striker; for most of my career, that's basically what I've done," Woods said.
The Tour Championship is the final event of the $US67 million FedEx Cup playoffs series, where the leading FedEx points scorer will pocket a $US10 million bonus.
Woods won the FedEx Cup title in 2007 and 2009.
