|
 |
| Tiger Woods smiles while hoisting the trophy
after winning the Ford Championship during the final round at Doral
Sunday, March 6, 2005, in Doral. Woods defeated Mickelson by one
stroke with the score 24 under par.
(AP) |
Tiger Woods won a dramatic duel with Phil Mickelson Sunday to
win the Ford Championship at Doral and regain the No. 1 ranking.
Woods made a 30-foot birdie
putt on the 17th hole to take the lead, then a 6-foot par
putt to close with a 6-under 66 and win the Ford Championship at Doral,
making him the No. 1 for the first time since September.
Mickelson, coming off dominant victories in his last two stroke-play
tournaments, had a chance to force a playoff or possibly win on the 18th.
His 30-foot chip looked good all the way, but caught the lower lip. He
closed with a 69.
"The whole day, we were going at each other," Woods said. "It was fun
to be a part of that."
This Sunday showdown
exceeded the expectations of a battle between two of the biggest names in
golf. A sellout crowd was
buzzing from start-to-finish, especially during wild momentum changes on
the back nine of the Blue Monster.
Woods reached the 603-yard 12th hole for the second time in two days
for an eagle to take a two-shot lead. Mickelson answered with back-to-back
birdies to catch him.
Lefty looked like he had control of the tournament until he missed a
5-foot par putt on the 16th, and then Woods delivered like he usually does
with two clutch putts.
Woods, who earned $990,000 for his second victory of the year, finished
at 24-under 264 to break by one shot the tournament record at Doral,
previously held by Jim Furyk (2000) and Greg Norman (1993). This is the
sixth PGA Tour event where Woods has at least a share of the 72-hole
record.
(Agencies) | 
Updated: 2005-03-07 10:50