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Tiger Woods wins Dunlop Phoenix in playoff
(AP)
Updated: 2005-11-20 15:55 MIYAZAKI, Japan - Tiger Woods
birdied the fourth hole of a playoff with Japan's Kaname Yokoo to successfully
defend his Dunlop Phoenix title Sunday.
Woods reached the green at the par-5 18th — the fourth playoff hole — in two
shots and two-putted for birdie for his seventh victory of the year. Yokoo
missed a 12-foot birdie putt.
Woods saved par on the first playoff but twisted his ankle on his tee shot.
He limped though his remaining playoff holes, making birdie on each of them.
Woods, who had a one-stroke lead over Jim Furyk going into the final round,
shot a 1-over 71 to match Yokoo (69) at 9-under 271 on the Phoenix Country Club
course.
The top-ranked American had a chance to win in regulation, but could only
manage par on the 18th after his tee shot landed in a bunker halfway down the
fairway.
With a poor lie, Woods hit a 15-foot chip onto the fairway. His third shot
landed on the green and he two-putted for par.
Yokoo hit his second shot on the 18th into the greenside bunker, blasted out
and made a 4-foot birdie putt to force a playoff.
Woods, who won by eight strokes last year, started off with a birdie on the
first hole, but then had a bogey on the par-4 second hole and a double bogey on
the par-3 third. He was two strokes behind Yokoo at the turn, but took advantage
of three straight bogeys by the Japanese player and took the lead on the par-4
15th.
On 15, Woods chipped in from the greenside rough for his third birdie of the
day, raised both arms in the air and flashed a smile for the first time. Yokoo
bogeyed the hole, giving Woods a two-stroke lead.
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