Canadian Jon Mills Clinches his Second Best PGA Career Finish at the Buick Invitational
SAN DIEGO, US (January 28, 2008) - Tiger Woods shrugged off three consecutive bogeys and cruised to an eight-shot victory in the Buick Invitational yesterday for his 62nd PGA Tour title.
Eight ahead of the field going into the final round of his first tournament of the year, the world No. 1 holed two monster birdie putts on his way to a one-under-par 71 in increasingly windy conditions on the South Course at Torrey Pines.
The U.S. superstar piled up five birdies and four bogeys for a 19-under total of 269 to record a fourth successive triumph at the coastal venue and his sixth overall.
Japan's Ryuji Imada birdied the last two holes for a 67 to finish a distant second at 11 under, two ahead of South Africa's Rory Sabbatini (67) and Stewart Cink (73) of the U.S.
Oshawa's Jon Mills, the lone Canadian to make the cut, shot a 75 yesterday to finish in a tie for 44th at 291.
"The whole idea (yesterday) was to go out and shoot something under par and not make any bogeys, but I got half of that right," Woods told reporters after winning his opening PGA Tour event of the season for the sixth time in 12 years.
"Even though I didn't drive the ball particularly well this week, I still was able to do what I was able to do, which was nice.
"I think we are all pleased to get this thing in," Woods added, as the rain and wind intensified at Torrey Pines.
His margin of victory shattered the previous tournament best of five set by Tom Watson in 1977 and equalled by Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
In winning his 62nd title, Woods joined Arnold Palmer in fourth place in the all-time standings for PGA Tour career victories.
Only Sam Snead (82), Jack Nicklaus (73) and Ben Hogan (64) have won more.
"I congratulate Tiger," Pal-mer said in a statement issued by the PGA Tour. "I'm sure that there are many, many more coming in the future."
With the bad weather forecast for yesterday not materializing until late in the day, the only question on the lips of fans crammed around the course was the margin of Woods' victory.
He made an ideal start in bright sunshine when he rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt at the par-four first.
Moments later, his lead was stretched to 10 when his playing partners, Cink and fellow U.S. golfer Joe Durant, bogeyed the hole.
Although Woods narrowly missed a seven-foot birdie opportunity at No. 4, he birdied the par-five sixth after hitting his third shot to four feet.
He collected his first bogey at the par-four seventh, after missing the fairway off the tee, but did well to save par at the ninth when he got up and down from rough behind the green.
Out in one-under 35, he electrified the watching gallery when he sank a 58-foot birdie putt on the 11th green, allowing around 15 feet of break.
He lifted his putter to acknowledge the roars from the crowd before pumping his right fist in celebration.
Woods also birdied the par-five 13th by getting up and down from a greenside bunker before surprisingly dropping shots on the next three holes.
He bogeyed 14 by three-putting, overhit the green with his approach on 15 and failed to reach the putting surface off the tee at the par-three 16th.
As the winds strengthened and the predicted thunderstorm approached, he parred 17 before signing off with a birdie at the 18th, where he hit his third shot to within nine feet of the cup and holed the putt.
Mark Lamport-Stokes, Reuters; with files from PA SportsTicker
Eight ahead of the field going into the final round of his first tournament of the year, the world No. 1 holed two monster birdie putts on his way to a one-under-par 71 in increasingly windy conditions on the South Course at Torrey Pines.
The U.S. superstar piled up five birdies and four bogeys for a 19-under total of 269 to record a fourth successive triumph at the coastal venue and his sixth overall.
Japan's Ryuji Imada birdied the last two holes for a 67 to finish a distant second at 11 under, two ahead of South Africa's Rory Sabbatini (67) and Stewart Cink (73) of the U.S.
Oshawa's Jon Mills, the lone Canadian to make the cut, shot a 75 yesterday to finish in a tie for 44th at 291.
"The whole idea (yesterday) was to go out and shoot something under par and not make any bogeys, but I got half of that right," Woods told reporters after winning his opening PGA Tour event of the season for the sixth time in 12 years.
"Even though I didn't drive the ball particularly well this week, I still was able to do what I was able to do, which was nice.
"I think we are all pleased to get this thing in," Woods added, as the rain and wind intensified at Torrey Pines.
His margin of victory shattered the previous tournament best of five set by Tom Watson in 1977 and equalled by Fuzzy Zoeller in 1979.
In winning his 62nd title, Woods joined Arnold Palmer in fourth place in the all-time standings for PGA Tour career victories.
Only Sam Snead (82), Jack Nicklaus (73) and Ben Hogan (64) have won more.
"I congratulate Tiger," Pal-mer said in a statement issued by the PGA Tour. "I'm sure that there are many, many more coming in the future."
With the bad weather forecast for yesterday not materializing until late in the day, the only question on the lips of fans crammed around the course was the margin of Woods' victory.
He made an ideal start in bright sunshine when he rolled in a 40-foot birdie putt at the par-four first.
Moments later, his lead was stretched to 10 when his playing partners, Cink and fellow U.S. golfer Joe Durant, bogeyed the hole.
Although Woods narrowly missed a seven-foot birdie opportunity at No. 4, he birdied the par-five sixth after hitting his third shot to four feet.
He collected his first bogey at the par-four seventh, after missing the fairway off the tee, but did well to save par at the ninth when he got up and down from rough behind the green.
Out in one-under 35, he electrified the watching gallery when he sank a 58-foot birdie putt on the 11th green, allowing around 15 feet of break.
He lifted his putter to acknowledge the roars from the crowd before pumping his right fist in celebration.
Woods also birdied the par-five 13th by getting up and down from a greenside bunker before surprisingly dropping shots on the next three holes.
He bogeyed 14 by three-putting, overhit the green with his approach on 15 and failed to reach the putting surface off the tee at the par-three 16th.
As the winds strengthened and the predicted thunderstorm approached, he parred 17 before signing off with a birdie at the 18th, where he hit his third shot to within nine feet of the cup and holed the putt.
Mark Lamport-Stokes, Reuters; with files from PA SportsTicker