The more putts he makes, the more confidence he has over the putts that can turn a decent round into something much better.
That explains why Rory McIlroy opened with a 4-under 66 on Thursday in the Honda Classic, leaving him two shots behind Ryder Cup captain Davis Love III and a small step closer toward establishing himself as the best player in golf.
And that explains why Tiger Woods left PGA National feeling as if he played better than his score of 71.
Love made a hole-in-one and finished with two birdies to tie the course record at PGA National with a 64, making him the 10th player to post that number since the Honda Classic moved here five years ago.