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Only Tiger Woods could laugh after a 35-foot eagle putt lipped out, costing him a hole. (matt sullivan/Reuters) |
Golf Roundup
Not even the most unpredictable tournament in golf could keep Tiger Woods from an inevitable victory.
There seems to be no stopping him.
Woods beat Stewart Cink, 8 and 7, at the
Golf is not a fair fight at the moment.
"I think maybe we ought to slice him open to see what's inside," Cink said. "Maybe nuts and bolts."
Woods set a scoring record for the fourth straight tournament, collected his fifth straight victory worldwide, and captured his 15th World Golf Championship, holding all three world titles for the first time.
And his 63d career victory moved him past Arnold Palmer into fourth place on the PGA Tour's career list. His next victory will tie him with Ben Hogan.
He didn't so much as crack a smile when someone asked him if a perfect season was within reach.
"That's my intent," he said. "That's why you play. It you don't believe you can win an event, don't show up."
Cink was only the latest victim in a winning streak that dates to Sept. 3, when Woods lost to Phil Mickelson at the
This is the third time Woods has won at least four straight PGA Tour events. He also won in Dubai three weeks ago on the European Tour by coming back from a four-shot deficit.
"I think this is the best stretch I've ever played," Woods said.
He has won six of his last seven PGA Tour events, and 16 of 30.
Woods's tour winning streak was at seven last year when Nick O'Hern beat him in the third round of the Match Play. Given the nature of this format, even Woods said it was the toughest tournament to win this side of a major.
"I played 117 holes this week," Woods said. "I could have easily played 16 and then been home. That's the fickleness of match play."
But the final was no contest. He built a 4-up lead after the morning round of 66, and Cink never got any closer.
Cink didn't win a hole until No. 12, and the only hole he won in the afternoon came at the par-5 10th when he rolled in a 36-foot eagle putt. Woods had an eagle putt from 35 feet, and the ball spun around the cup.
"Even the minuscule amount that I upstaged him there - him being 8 up - I still thought he was going to make [the eagle putt]," Cink said. "He lipped it out, and I thought, 'Hey, come on. At least give me a moment to shine here.' And he said, 'Sorry, dude.' "
PGA - Brian Gay shot a 1-under 69 to win the Mayakoba Classic by two shots over Steve Marino in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico.
For Gay, 36, making his 293d career start, his 16-under 264 gave him his first PGA victory. Only 12 active players have entered more events without breaking through.
Patrick Sheehan of Providence finished in sixth place, six shots back, for his first top-10 PGA finish since 2006.
Gay took home $630,000 and a 100-pound limestone chameleon trophy to commemorate the event.
Nationwide - Ewan Porter closed with a 6-under 66 for a seven-stroke victory in the Moonah Classic in Fingal, Australia.
© Copyright 2008 Globe Newspaper Company.
