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Woods battles to one-shot win at Invitational
(Reuters)
Updated: 2005-08-22 08:58
AKRON, Ohio, Aug 21 (Reuters) - Tiger Woods clawed his way to a one-shot win
over Chris DiMarco at the $7.5 million WGC NEC Invitational on Sunday,
collecting his fourth victory in seven years at the Firestone Country Club.
There was nothing pretty about Woods's fifth success of the season as he
struggled to a final round one-over 71 on the famed South Course that he claims
as one of his favourites.
But what the world number one's performance lacked in style he more than up
for with grit and determination, tapping in on 18 for a winning total of
six-under 274 to earn his 10th victory in 20 World Golf Championship starts.
DiMarco, who lost to Woods in a playoff at the U.S. Masters in April, carded
a two-under 68 but once again had to settle for runner-up honours with
five-under 275.
World number two Vijay Singh had a final round three-under 67 to finish in a
tie for third at four-under 276 with Irishman Paul McGinley (72) and American
Ryan Palmer (69).
Britain's Luke Donald (67) and David Howell (69) and American Kenny Perry
(74) were one shot further adrift on 277.
The victory was the 45th of Woods career moving him past Walter Hagen on the
all-time list with Billy Casper now next in his sights with 51.
It was also the richest payday in Woods 10-years on the PGA Tour pocketing a
$1.3 million winner's cheque to push him over the $8.5 million mark in season
earnings.
"I hit the ball beautifully all day and I just could not make a putt," said
Woods. "I hit putts that didn't go in or hit just atrocious putts that weren't
even close.
"It was frustrating. It was playing so hard out there.
"When Chris (DiMarco) posted five-under, I was just trying to make some
birdies somewhere, and luckily I made that putt on 16."
FLAWLESS START
Twice a winner this season, Perry had looked poised to notch his third title
after a flawless start to his final round took him to eight-under through eight
holes and a two-shot advantage over a faltering field.
But a bogey at the ninth heralded a full-scale collapse as the 45-year-old
followed up with dropped shots at 10, 12, 13 and 14 to fall from the chase.
Woods, who began the round tied for the lead with Perry at seven-under, got
his day off to a wobbly start sending his drives off the second and third tees
into the galleries.
He recovered with a six-foot birdie putt on the second but was not so lucky
on the third when his three-foot attempt for par lipped the cup.
Woods dropped another shot when he three-putted the par-three fifth then
stumbled into the turn, carding his third bogey of the afternoon on the par-four
ninth.
The Masters and British Open champion, however, wasted no time mounting his
charge by opening his back nine with a 10-foot birdie on the 10th.
His rally quickly fizzled, however, with a bogey on the par-four 11th and a
string of pars after near miss birdie putts that left the 29-year-old American
wincing.
SOLE LEADER
Woods continued to grind and was finally rewarded with a birdie on the
mammoth 667-yard par-five 16th to take sole possession of the lead.
After his tee shot carved into the right trees, Woods had looked in danger of
dropping further down the leaderboard rather than moving up when he muscled his
second shot out into the fairway.
But a brilliant approach followed by an 18-foot putt brought the first smile
of the day to the world number one's face.
Woods said: "Finally I made three good strokes and it happened to me on the
last three holes, 16 and 17 and 18."
DiMarco, who began the day four back of Woods and Perry, mounted his charge
early with birdies on three of his opening six holes and added another on the
11th to get to four-under but back-to-back bogeys on 12 and 13 and another on 17
left him in the clubhouse hoping for Woods to falter or a playoff.
"I felt like I played good enough to win the Masters and I felt I played good
golf today," said DiMarco, who has also runner-up to David Toms at the WGC Match
Play championships in Carlsbad earlier this year.
"Bridesmaid is getting old, I can promise you that, especially when I've
played good enough to get there and not gotten it."
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