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Tiger Woods hits off the 15th fairway during the final round of the Buick Invitational on Sunday.

And he doesn’t look only at his golf.

Woods hit nine fairways on the meaty South during the second round and shot even-par 72. He hit only nine fairways in the third and fourth rounds combined — and found 16 bunkers on the weekend — but shot 9 under par to surge past a trio of PGA Tour rookies and beat Charles Howell III by two shots.

“The stats may not show I hit the fairways, but my misses were so much better,” he said. “I could play these misses and I could easily fix them, which I did. They were not misses off the planet, they were just off the fairway or in the rough or bouncing in the bunker. That’s how I know I’ve really improved over this offseason and toward the end of last year.

He also said he has a better understanding of how to manage his game, the product of maturity.

“And off the course,” he added, “is 180 degrees.”

He walked off the 18th green and gave his mother a hug. Also waiting for him was his wife, Elin, who is expecting their first child in July, along with her father and a couple of her brothers and sisters. All of them were in Colorado last month, skiing and spending time during the holidays, when Woods broke the news about becoming a father.

Woods rarely makes any comparisons these days without taking inventory of his emotions.

He spoke before the tournament about the difference between dreading 2006 because his father was dying of cancer, and being excited about 2007 because he was going to become a father for the first time. Woods spent the previous offseason not skiing on the slopes in Colorado but sleeping on the floor at his father’s home in Cypress, spending as much time him as he could.

“Last year, I would rather spend time at home with Dad than practice,” he said. “I’ve been able to practice harder this year.”

O’Meara waited around the final three hours to catch a ride with him to Dubai. He has known him better than any player since Woods turned pro, and notices a peace about the world’s No. 1 player.

Coupled with a game that is getting better, it’s a frightening combination.