Despite ending a two-year title drought this year and winning three titles on the PGA Tour, Tiger Woods is disappointed not to have won another major title.

"I know how it feels when you win a major championship, and it feels incredible," Woods reflected. "It lasts with you, and that's something that I would like to have happen again."

Woods has not won a major since his well-published marital problems that led to a divorce from his wife in 2010 first surfaced, with the 2008 US Open triumph at Torrey Pines his last major success.

He needs to win four more majors to equal Jack Nicklaus' record of 18, but the 37-year-old former world number one believes he is once again ready to tackle some of golf's biggest challenges in 2013.

"I still feel I have some of my best golf to play, and in order to do that, I had to be healthy, and this year is headed in the right direction," Woods said. "I'm very excited about next year."

Nevertheless, Woods conceded that he was no longer the biggest draw in golf and that Rory McIlroy is the deserved number on at this point.

"Rory is ranked number one. He deserves it. He's won tournaments all around the world. He's had high finishes on top of that, and that's how you do it .... He should be very proud of the season he's had, and I'm sure he's excited about what next year holds for him, as well," the American continued.

"I still feel I have some of my best golf to play, and in order to do that, I had to be healthy, and this year is headed in the right direction.

"I'm very excited about next year."

Woods was excited about his chances for success in 2012 when he won the 2011 World Challenge, the 18-man unofficial event he hosts for the benefit of his charitable foundation, but suffered an Achilles injury in March that threatened to curtail him permanently.

He quickly quelled speculation though and won his first US PGA Tour title in more than two years - at Bay Hills. Following another dry spell he once again triumphed at The Memorial, leaving him in good stead ahead of the US Open, but he ended in a tie for 21st despite leading the event at the halfway mark.

However, he did win at the AT&T National, where he out-fought Bo Van Pelt in a back-nine duel to win his 74th PGA Tour title and surpass Nicklaus for second on the all-time list behind the 82 titles of Sam Snead.

"Actually, my short game has been really good from late summer on," Woods added. "I was hitting the ball a little better and I was spending more time chipping and putting."

"I've already made the big changes. They're already in. It's the little tweaks here and there."

"I think I needed to get to a point where I was playing a full season and where I was competitive, not where I was missing big chunks of time, which I had been over the past years.

"There was quite a few people out there that said I would never win again," he said. "Three wins on the PGA Tour this year, and what I've done, I think, collectively, passing Jack (for career titles), I think that's a pretty good accomplishment."

Golf 365