Fuente: © Southern Africa Tour
http://www.sunshinetour.com/

GOLF: SOUTHERN AFRICA TOUR: Never-say-die Woods claims title number 64 at Bay Hill

/noticias.info/ Tiger Woods made a 25-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one shot, extending his PGA Tour winning streak to five and keeping intact a perfect season in golf.

In his biggest challenge since this streak began seven months ago, Woods outlasted 45-year-old Bart Bryant and won with a birdie putt on the final hole for the first time in seven years. He turned and slammed his cap to the ground, letting out a roar to celebrate his 64th career victory, tying Ben Hogan at number three on the PGA Tour's career list.

Palmer stood behind the 18th green with thousands of sun-baked fans who have come to expect nothing less from Woods. The King smiled and nodded his head, a royal approval of a captivating conclusion at Bay Hill.

Woods closed with a six-under-par 66 and won Bay Hill for the fifth time in his career, becoming the first player in PGA Tour history to win four tournaments at least five times.

Next up is the World Golf Championships-CA Championship at Doral, which he has won six times. No wonder some are starting to question whether he will lose again.

Retief Goosen overcame a sluggish start with back-to-back rounds of 68 to tie for 14th on three-under-par 277, while fellow South African Richard Sterne did well to finish just two strokes off the two-time US Open winner in a tie for 21st on one-under-par 279. Tim Clark tied for 31st on even-par 280.

Trevor Immelman chipped in for par on his final hole in the first round and rode the momentum again on Friday to move from 82nd and make the cut with a six-under-par 64 that included a sizzling 31 on the back nine.

But Immelman lost the momentum over the weekend with a 75 on Saturday and a 71 on Sunday to take a share of 48th on three-over 283.

Not since Bay Hill in 2001 has Woods won a PGA Tour event with a birdie on the 72nd hole to win by a shot.

"I don't know how I did that," Woods said of his winning putt on greens that had given him fits early in the week. "I just wanted to get the speed right and make sure I didn't leave myself a second putt ... and it went in."

The last time he played, he surpassed Palmer on the career list. This one allowed him to join Hogan, who won 64 times over 21 years, the last victory coming at the 1959 Colonial National Invitational. Next up is Jack Nicklaus at 73, with Sam Snead's record of 82 victories looking closer each time Woods plays.

"It's pretty amazing to be in that kind of company," Woods said. "I've had an amazing run in my career, and hopefully, it continues."

No one can say these guys are laying down for Woods. He had to fight to the finish under a sweltering sun, and Bryant was visibly disappointed when he heard the roar and saw the putt. A victory would have sent him to the World Golf Championships-CA Championship next week, and also earned him a spot in The Masters.

Bryant closed with a 67 and was the only player to break par all four rounds at Bay Hill. All that earned him was second place, joining a long list of players to be runner-up to the world's No. 1 player.

"I was pretty hopeless sitting there in the trailer, but I did what I thought I was supposed to do, which was put the pressure back on Tiger to make the play," Bryant said. "And he has a habit of making it when he needs to."

Woods has won six straight times worldwide, which includes a thrilling rally in Dubai last month. The winning streak does not include his seven-shot victory at his 16-man Target World Challenge, an unofficial event held in December.

Woods finished at 10-under 270 and earned $1,044,000, putting him on the cusp of going over $80 million for his career.

Final result from the Arnold Palmer Invitational:
270 Tiger Woods USA 70-68-66-66
277 Retief Goosen 70-71-68-68 (T14)
279 Richard Sterne 69-71-70-69 (T21)
280 Tim Clark 68-70-72-70 (T31)
283 Trevor Immelman 73-64-75-71 (T48)

EUROPEAN / ASIAN TOUR
Graeme McDowell capped an extraordinary final round at the inaugural Ballantine’s Championship with a thrilling sudden-death play-off victory on the third extra hole over Jeev Milkha Singh at the Pinx Golf Club.

After both players had traded blows in posting matching final rounds of four under par 68 for quite astonishing 24 under par 264 totals, they went back to the 18th tee three times before McDowell produced one of the shots of his career, a sublime seven iron from 179 yards to within a foot of the cup to set up a title clinching birdie.

Given that Singh had turned up the pressure on McDowell by hitting his own brilliant approach to six feet, the Northern Irishman’s response was out of this world. With Singh then missing his birdie chance, McDowell took aim and tapped his ball home to secure the title and the €333,330 top prize.

South Africa's David Frost claimed a share of 14th with a final round 68 while countryman Thomas Aiken tied for 43rd on three-under-par 285. Frost was solid in a round that saw him wipe out an early bogey with six birdies, but a dropped shot at the closing hole spoiled his chances of a possible top-10 finish.

Final result of the Ballantine’s Championship:
264 Graeme McDowell N-IRE 68-64-66-66 (won play-off at third extra hole)
264 Jeev Milka Singh IND 68-66-64-66
278 David Frost 69-71-70-68 (T14)
285 Thomas Aiken 71-73-71-70 (T43) notas_de_prensa_archivo