Tiger Woods snares 1-shot victory at Doral
(AP)
Updated: 2006-03-06 09:24

Woods ended a peculiar streak; his last four victories had been in playoffs. It didn't look as though this one would be even close to extra holes the way he played the back nine.

When the challenge arrived, Woods found an extra gear.

"Once I got to the 11th green, I saw D.T. had made birdie at 10 and 11 and drew within one," Woods said. "I told Steve (Williams) that I needed to bury this putt and see if we can get some kind of cushion."

Then came the 603-yard 12th, which Woods is turning into a highlight show. He reached it in two for the second straight year, a powerful 3-wood from the first cut of rough that splashed out of the bunker and to the lower shelf of the green, setting up a two-putt birdie.

That restored his lead to three shots, and the only drama at the end was self-inflicted. Woods was leading by two and had a wedge from 116 yards in the 17th fairway. He hit that over the green, hit a weak chip-and-putt to make bogey, then waited to see how Toms would force his hand.

Woods played his best golf when challenged, and his worst golf when it didn't matter.