The World Golf Championships were created seven years ago to bringtogether the best players from around the world. Tiger Woods hasturned them into an annuity.
Woods overcame some shaky putting Sunday by making the one thatmattered, an 18-foot birdie putt that broke sharply into the rightside of the cup on the 16th hole, sending him to a one-shot victoryover Chris DiMarco in the NEC Invitational in Akron, Ohio.
"I've had that putt for three or four years, and I miss it lowevery time," said Woods, who won the tournament for the fourth time."I made sure I threw the ball out there a little bit more ... and itjust snapped at the end. I thought it was going to lip out, which washow my whole day was going. But it lipped in, which was sweet."
The victory wasn't secure, however, until Woods punched a 9-ironthrough the trees and onto the 18th green for a two-putt par to closewith a 1-over-par 71 and a 72-hole total of 6-under 274.
Woods has won nine of the 18 World Golf Championship events he hasplayed, and he has earned about $11.6 million from those tournamentsalone -- more than 20 percent of his career earnings.
"You started these too late," he said jokingly.
Woods missed five putts inside eight feet and trailed Kenny Perryby two shots when they made the turn. Even the birdie putt that gavehim the lead required an approach from 189 yards over the water. Andit wasn't over until he made another escape from the trees.
Woods earned $1.3 million for his fifth victory of the year, onemore than Vijay Singh and Phil Mickelson. Considering that two of hisother victories came in the Masters and British Open, that's likelyenough to end any debate about PGA Tour player of the year.
DiMarco, who lost to Woods in a playoff at the Masters, thought hemight get another shot at him when he closed with a 2-under 68 tofinish at 275. Playing four groups ahead of Woods, DiMarco had a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th that grazed the edge of the cup. Hewatched Woods play the last three holes from the dining room.
"If you're hoping for him to make bogey [on the last hole], youdidn't do what you needed to do out there," he said.
Woods now has 45 career victories, one more than Walter Hagen forseventh on the all-time list. Twelve of those have come in threetournaments, with four victories apiece at the NEC Invitational, theMasters and the Bay Hill Invitational.
Paul McGinley, one of four players who had at least a share of thelead in the final round, fell out of contention with a bogey on the17th and shot a 2-over 72 to tie for third with Singh (3-under 67)and Ryan Palmer (1-under 69). Perry bogeyed five of six holes duringone stretch on the back nine and wound up tied for sixth after a 4-over 74.
PGA: Vaughn Taylor successfully defended his title in the Reno-Tahoe Open, shooting an even-par 72 to beat Jonathan Kaye by threestrokes in Reno, Nev. Taylor, who set a tournament record with a 72-hole score of 21-under 267, joined Vijay Singh (twice) and StuartAppleby as the only players to successfully defend titles this year.The two Reno-Tahoe victories are the only ones he has on tour.
LPGA: Soo-Yun Kang earned her first tour victory, closing with a 3-under 69 to post a four-stroke triumph over Women's British Openwinner Jeong Jang in the Safeway Classic in Portland, Ore. Kangcompleted 54 holes in 15-under 201 to lead a South Korean sweep ofthe top three spots. Gloria Park was third, five shots back.
CHAMPIONS: David Eger shot a 4-under 67 to earn a three-strokevictory over Tom Kite in the inaugural Boeing Greater Seattle Classicin Snoqualmie, Wash. Eger finished 54 holes in 17-under 199.
AP
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