Moments after dazzling the golfing world with his 63rd PGA Tour victory, the remarkable Tiger Woods pondered the fine line between success and failure in the head-to-head format.

Although Woods hammered fellow American Stewart Cink by a record 8 & 7 margin in Sunday’s 36-hole final at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, he had flirted with defeat in the opening round at Dove Mountain.

The world number one conjured a miraculous escape by coming from three down with five holes to play to edge big-hitting American JB Holmes one-up and stay on course for his eighth tournament victory in nine appearances worldwide.

“They told me I played 117 holes this week. I could have easily played 16 and then been home,” Woods told reporters after clinching his 15th World Golf Championships (WGC) crown in 26 starts.

“That’s the fickleness of match play. If I didn’t make a run against JB, I wouldn’t be here (sitting beside the trophy). If you get down early you’re in a world of hurt because then you have to make a bunch of birdies to get back in it,” added the 13-time major champion.

Making birdies

“It’s not like we're going out to play the US Open; we’re playing a golf course in which you have to make birdies.”

Woods reeled off three successive birdies from the 14th to level his first-round encounter with Holmes before sinking a 36-foot eagle putt on the 17th to go ahead for the first time.

Holmes, who had never previously played in competition with the game’s leading player, narrowly missed an eight-footer to birdie the last and take the match into extra holes.

“When I made that putt at 14 it was nice to make because I needed to make it,” said Woods. “I had to get back in the match. I just felt if I could make that putt and hit a good drive down 15 I would have momentum.

“Even though I was two down I felt like I would have the momentum and that’s how it turned out to be. I kept telling (caddie) Stevie (Williams); we just need to get this thing all square before we get to 18, just to put heat on him.”

‘Playing the best’

Asked to explain his extraordinary success in WGC events which have also been held in Spain, Britain and Ireland, Woods replied: “I just love playing the best players in the world.

“That's the fun part because we don’t get to do it that often. For some reason I’ve had success in different places. I can’t say it's the venues. Maybe I just enjoyed playing the fields, just like I enjoy playing major championships.”

As Woods continues to dominate the modern game, questions will again be asked of his closest rivals and their inability to challenge him more consistently in the big events.

Already arguably the greatest player in history, Woods has sympathy for any suggestion his peers are underachieving in their bid to “step up”.

“It’s probably more offensive to them because it’s not like they're not practising at home,” said the 32-year-old American. “We’re all trying to improve. We’re all working extremely hard to get better.

“People just don't understand that. Look at what some of the guys do in the off-season, getting more fit, getting stronger, more flexible. I think it is a shot at them a little bit.”