AKRON, Ohio, 23 August 2005 — 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 favorites.
But what the world No. 1’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 US Masters in April, carded a two-under 68 but once again had to settle for runner-up honors with five-under 275.
World No. 2 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 check 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.”
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.
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 Woods’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.
Taylor Wins Second Straight Reno-Tahoe Open in Record Fashion
In Reno, Nevada, Vaughn Taylor successfully defended his title in the Reno-Tahoe Open on Sunday, shooting an even-par 72 to beat Jonathan Kaye by three strokes with a tournament-record 21-under total.
Taylor, in his second year on the PGA Tour, joined Vijay Singh and Stuart Appleby as the only players to successfully defend a title this year and also became the fifth wire-to-wire winner of the season. Taylor opened with rounds of 64, 67 and 64 en route to a 267 total, four better than the previous tournament record set by Kirk Triplett in 2003. The winner also broke the tournament’s 36- and 54-hole marks.
Kaye shot a 67 Sunday — his fourth round in the 60s — but missed three birdie putts from within 15 feet on the last three holes to finish at 18 under on the 7,472-yard Montreux Golf and Country Club on the edge of the Sierra Nevada.
Todd Fischer, who lives next to the course, had a 70 to finish third at 17 under. J.J. Henry (66), J.P. Hayes (69) and Aaron Baddeley (70) followed at 15 under. Jesper Parnevik started the day seven strokes back, but shot a 74 to finish at 12 under.
Taylor, who grew up in Augusta, Georgia, and attended Augusta State University, averaged 300 yards a drive this week and was sharp with his irons the first three rounds. He made eight birdie putts Saturday — all from inside 10 feet — to open up a six-stroke lead over Fischer at 21 under.
Kang Takes Three-Stroke Lead in Safeway Classic
In Portland, Oregon, South Korea’s Kang Soo-yun moved into position for her first victory in three full seasons on the LPGA Tour, shooting a 4-under 68 on Saturday to take a three-stroke lead into the final round of the Safeway Classic.
Kang, a co-leader compatriot with Yim Sung-ah after a first-round 64, has a 12-under 132 total. Gloria Park and British Open winner Jeong Jang were 9 under.
“I missed a few putts but I feel so great,” Kang said as she came off the sunsplashed course at Columbia Edgewater Country Club.
Kang was in nearly the same place at the other Safeway — the Safeway International back in March. Kang was a shot back of Lorena Ochoa going into the final round.
Kang tied for third with Juli Inkster at Superstition Mountain Country Club, for her best result of the season. Annika Sorenstam won it in a playoff with Ochoa.
Wearing bright yellow pants and butterfly clips in her hair, Kang saved par on No. 18 with a well-placed chip out of a sand trap. She eagled the par-4 15th hole, but bogeyed No. 17.
“I’m really satisfied about my golf today, and I’m really confident,” she said.
Because of scheduling conflicts, Sorenstam wasn’t among those playing the 5,783-meter (6,327-yard) course. She won the 2002 and 2003 tournaments.
Park also had a second-round 68 despite tendinitis and tennis elbow. With a 25-foot putt, Jang birdied her final hole, the par-4 ninth, to also finish with a 68.
“That was the first long putt today,” Jang said. “Good finish going into tomorrow.”
Aree Song, four strokes back with defending champion Hee-Won Han, gained briefly on Kang, but was done in by a double bogey on the par-4 14th hole, and a bogey on No. 17. Yim was in a group five shots back.
Veteran Rose Jones, who says she’ll retire at the end of the year, was at 6 under in a group that included Natalie Gulbis (71). After a 65 on Friday, Jones had a 1-over 73 on Saturday.
The 45-year-old Jones got to 9 under starting on the back nine, but ran into trouble on No. 18, hitting into the water and settling for a double bogey before making the turn.
