Golf roundup
Tiger closes season with 2-stroke victory in Target World Challenge THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. (AP) – Tiger Woods won his final tournament of a difficult year.
It looks as if it could be just the beginning.
Woods made a strong statement Sunday at the Target World Challenge, closing with a 5-under 66 for a two-shot victory over Padraig Harrington and heading into the short offseason with two straight stroke-play titles.
“I had to take baby steps all year,” Woods said. “I was working in the right direction. Sometimes, it might have been just three or four holes in one round that I played great, and then the rest of it wasn’t so good. Eventually it became nine holes, then 18, then 36 and 54. Now it’s a whole tournament. It’s exciting.”
It was all good on a pristine day at Sherwood Country Club, where Woods missed only one green and two fairways for perhaps his most complete round of the year.
He finished at 16-under 268 and won $1.25 million, which he donated to his foundation.
Harrington, who held off Woods at Sherwood, got into contention with a 31 on the front nine, then kept pace until a couple of errant shots cost him on the final three holes.
The Irishman hit his approach into a hazard on the par-5 16th, but had a chance to play out toward the green. It went into a bush, he had to knock that out left-handed and wound up with a bogey. After a clutch birdie on the 17th to get back within one shot, Harrington drove into rough so thick he had no chance to reach the 18th green.
He closed with a bogey for a 66, his only consolation a $750,000 check.
Colin Montgomerie, who had a two-shot lead and was trying to win his first stroke-play title in the United States, bogeyed the first hole and never caught up. He shot 71 and finished at 13-under 271 with Jay Haas (69).
John Daly had the low round of the day with a 65 and finished tied for 12th.
Masters of Asia
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – India’s Jyoti Randhawa won his first title of the year, capturing the Volvo Masters of Asia by beating Australia’s Terry Pilkadaris on the second playoff hole. Randhawa sank a 15-foot birdie putt on the second extra hole.
Dunhill Championship
MALELANE, South Africa – South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel captured the Dunhill Championship for his first European tour title, recovering from a poor finish in regulation to win the first playoff hole against England’s Neil Cheetham.
Schwartzel closed with a 1-under-par 71. Cheetham, the third-round leader, carded a 73, leaving both players at 7-under 281.
Schwartzel had a chance to win in regulation, but he three-putted on the 17th for a bogey and also three-putted the 18th for par. Cheetham appeared to be slipping from contention when he three-putted the 15th and 16th holes for bogeys.
On the playoff hole, the par-5 18th, Schwartzel chipped to 5 feet and birdied the hole while Cheetham made par. Schwartzel said he was nervous making the chip.
“But shots like that and positions like that are what you practice for,” said Schwartzel, who won $955,000.
“So I am very, very happy.”
The leading pair finished one shot ahead of Warren Abery, Ernie Els and Oliver Whiteley. Defending champion Marcel Siem and David Frost were another shot back at 283.