|
Woods survives playoff to win at Torrey
(AP)
Updated: 2006-01-30 10:02
A new decade for Tiger Woods looks a lot like the last one — making clutch
putts, letting his opponents break down and hoisting the trophy at a golf course
that feels as if it's home.
Tiger Woods pumps
his fist after making a birdie putt on the final hole of regulation to
qualify for a playoff at the Buick Invitational golf tournament Sunday
Jan. 29, 2006 in San Diego. Woods won on the second playoff hole when Jose
Maria Olazabal missed a two foot putt. [AP] |
Woods holed an 8-foot birdie on the 18th hole Sunday to get into a three-way
playoff, then won the Buick Invitational with simple pars as Australian rookie
Nathan Green and two-time Masters champion Jose Maria Olazabal made crucial
mistakes.
Olazabal played a splendid bunker shot on the par-3 16th on the second extra
hole at Torrey Pines, then missed a 4-foot par putt to hand Woods a victory that
was only easy at the end.
"It's not how you want to win," Woods said. "I had a chance to make birdie on
18 in the playoff and end it right there. You don't ever take joy out of seeing
friends do that."
For Woods, it was the fourth time in 10 years that he won in his first PGA
Tour event of the year, and he became the first four-time winner at the Buick
Invitational on a course he played regularly as a kid.
The finish was reminiscent of the American Express Championship last October
at Harding Park, where John Daly lost on the second extra hole by missing a
3-foot putt to give Woods the victory.
Just like then, Woods bowed his head and slowly walked over to shake hands.
It was a somber way to end a dynamic afternoon along the bluffs of the
Pacific Ocean, where 12 players had a share of the lead at one point and there
was an eight-way tie with six holes to play.
Woods, who three-putted three times in his final round of even-par 72,
finally made the one that mattered on the final hole of regulation en route to
his 47th tour victory.
"Of all the things that happened today, I said, 'At least you have a chance.'
I shouldn't have had that opportunity," Woods said of his birdie on the 72nd
hole. "I flipped it around, turned it into a positive situation. It felt good
coming off the putter and found its way to the bottom."
Woods turned 30 at the end of the year and is starting his 10th full season
on tour, and this was an ideal place for him to get going. This is the fourth
tournament he has won at least four times, the others coming at Augusta
National, Firestone and Bay Hill.
Green did all he could to pull off an improbable victory in only his second
PGA Tour start.
The 30-year-old rookie from Australia, who once worked in a crematorium
managed by his parents, shot into the lead by holing a wedge for eagle from 77
yards on the 13th hole, held on for dear life and got into the playoff by making
a 7-foot birdie putt on the 18th.
But he didn't last long.
The only player to hit the fairway on No. 18 in the playoff, his 3-wood went
into the grandstand. After taking a free drop, his pitch didn't reach the green
and he chunked the next one, moving it only inches and making bogey.
That sent Woods and Olazabal to the 16th, and the 39-year-old Spaniard
appeared to escape trouble with a magnificent bunker shot that hopped into the
first cut, then the fringe, then trickled downhill toward the cup. He had 4 feet
to head to the next hole, but started walking in disgust as soon as the ball
left his club.
Olazabal, whose last victory came four years ago at Torrey Pines, was the
first to finish at 10-under 278 by two-putting for birdie on the 18th for a 69.
Green, who briefly had a two-shot lead after his eagle on No. 13, had five
consecutive putts in the 8-foot range, all for par except the last one, which
gave him a 72 and put him in the playoff.
"There's nothing to be disappointed about," Green said. "I've been an
overachiever for the week."
Woods was one shot behind when he hit 5-wood into 75 feet on the 18th, only
to see his eagle putt run too fast through the break, 8 feet by the cup. It was
the longest putt he made all day.
He had a putt from about the same distance on No. 18 on the first playoff
hole, but pulled it badly.
Two players were inches away from joining them in the playoff.
Lucas Glover had a 65-foot eagle putt on the 18th that was headed for the
center of the cup, but stopped just short. In the same group, Arjun Atwal left
himself a 5-footer for birdie, but he pushed it right of the cup.
Woods skipped the season-opening Mercedes Championships, and for those who
didn't think the PGA Tour began until he showed up, the No. 1 player was part of
a terrific show.
When he holed an 8-foot birdie on the 12th to reach 9 under, eight players
were tied for the lead. Anyone could have won. Every shot mattered.
John Rollins came out of nowhere by holing a wedge from 119 yards for eagle
on the 10th, and making a 60-foot birdie putt on the 14th. Phil Mickelson looked
like a winner with one of those majestic flop shots on the 11th that cleared the
bunker by a foot and set up an unlikely par save.
Lefty looked like a prophet over the final five holes. He had said his game
was rounding into form, with putting the final piece for it all to come
together. Sure enough, he missed par putts of 5, 6 and 5 feet on three straight
holes to fall out of contention, closing with a 73.
Jonathan Kaye birdied his last five holes to post at 9 under, and wasn't free
to leave Torrey Pines until Olazabal coaxed his eagle putt within 2 feet for a
birdie on the 18th.
It was the second time in three years that the winner failed to break par in
the final round on the South Course, which played at 7,630 yards on Sunday and
will host the U.S. Open in two years.
But if such a demanding course was meant to separate those at the top of
their games, instead it created a leaderboard so jumbled throughout the final
round that a dozen players could have won.
Sergio Garcia, playing in the final group with Woods for the first time since
the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage, hit into five bunkers and a beer tent on his
first eight holes and went out in 40. He hung around to the final hole, needing
an eagle to get into the playoff, but three-putted for par and a 75.
Rod Pampling, tied with Garcia for the lead after 54 holes, shot a 76 to
finish three shots out of the playoff.
|
