Here's a reliable forecast: Open already looking closed

SAN DIEGO -- Unlike the meteorologists hereabouts, Tiger Woods virtually always delivers what's in the forecast.

Chances are Tiger will hoist a different trophy at Torrey Pines in June. (US Presswire)

Despite breathless proclamations of funnel clouds, flash floods, disastrous deluges, electrical storms and other forms of cataclysm, the only cat who moved the mercury on Sunday at Torrey Pines Golf Course was the world's No. 1 player.

As ever, Woods was flinging thunderbolts like Thor to finish 19 under, winning his fourth consecutive Buick Invitational, this time by a tournament-record eight shots, and matching Arnold Palmer's career win total of 62, fourth-best in PGA Tour history.

If not more importantly, it set the stage for Woods' hotly anticipated return in five months for the season's second major.

The dunderheads of Doppler falsely assured San Diegans that there was a 100 percent chance of violent rain through the afternoon, but when it comes to fulfilling promises, Woods' conversion rate is far more trustworthy. He's won in 42 of the 45 instances in which he has held a share of the 54-hole lead, a 93.3 percent conversion clip.

Now that's a guy with effective radar -- and he's the guy creating the storm. The event was such a runaway, rather than belabor the details with which we have become all too familiar, let's attempt some accu-track storm forecasting of our own.

After this week's performance, it's downright predictable to assume Woods will be doing likewise in June, when Torrey's famed South Course will host its first U.S. Open. Torrey is built on some of the most panoramic seaside cliffs in Southern California, but the way Woods has trashed the famed municipal course, the Open will be no cliffhanger.

Mike Davis, who sets up U.S. Open courses for the U.S. Golf Association, has been watching Woods make a mockery of this summer's national championship site via his digital video recorder at home. Right now, he's not too worried that there will be a TiVo-style replay in June.

"I'm actually concerned more the other way, that the course will be too hard," Davis said.

Yet like most of us, weathermen excepted, Davis doesn't offer 100-percent surety about anything, especially when it comes to Woods, who won his sixth Buick title on Sunday.

"Unless I am totally missing something," said Davis, an amiable guy who doesn't take himself too seriously, "I don't think 20 under is possible even with the best four rounds he can play."

Even the USGA guys aren't brazen enough to say "never." Realistically, it would require a transcendent performance for Woods to finish the Open at 10-under, given how firm the greens will be relative to this week and that par will be shaved by a shot to 71. But 10-under would almost certainly produce a blowout of similar proportions and as for his state of mind, Woods was asked Sunday night if the past few months represent the best stretch of his career, which is quite a query given that he won three majors in succession in 2000.

"Yeah, I think so," he said.