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Tiger pounces late to win in Dubai
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By Agencies
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 | | The Tiger roars in Dubai with a final round 65 and a stunning birdie putt on the 72nd hole |
Tiger Woods won his second Dubai Desert Classic after sinking a seven and a half metre birdie putt on the final hole to finish an impressive final round of seven-under 65, an overall score of 14-under 274, which gave him the championship by one stroke.
Woods, who also won in Dubai in 2006, had to wait for overnight leader Ernie Els to complete his round before he could be certain of victory, giving him a seventh win in eight starts, and five out of the last five.
It was a stunning performance from the world No.1 who had looked out of sorts and out of the running until producing a stunning six-under par 31 on the back nine to overtake the leading pack of players.
"I could have put that chip right back in the water at 18 and I just had to hit it short," Woods said of the drama at the last hole.
"Then I just got to the green and put it in. "It's the ideal start to the year going two for two." Tiger Woods
Els, three-time winner of the tournament, had a heartbreaking final round of 71 to finish in third place on 276, after going into Sunday with a one shot lead - four ahead of Woods.
German Martin Kaymer, who won the Abu Dhabi Championship three weeks ago, shot a final round 66 with a birdie-birdie-eagle finish to come in second place one stroke behind Woods.
However it was Woods who produced a grandstand finish. He hit a five-wood through the par-five 18th green in two and showed a flash of temper as his chip back from a bad lie at the edge of the green came up short.
But he punched the air in delight shortly after as he sunk the ensuing 25-footer for birdie to edge one stroke clear of Els.
The South African had three holes left to play to draw level with a birdie and force a play-off, but missed makeable birdie putts on 16 and 17 and then watched in horror as his gambled second shot to the 18th plunged into the water leaving him to limp off with a bogey six and a share of third place.
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