BETHESDA, Md. — The flight of his shot into the 18th green was so good that Tiger Woods immediately started walking and twirled his club, knowing that it wrapped up another victory at the AT&T National.
One day after spectators were kept away from the golf course because of debris from a violent wind storm, they returned Sunday in full force and got what they expected - Woods in his red shirt, outlasting Bo Van Pelt in a back-nine duel, and posing with another trophy.
“Yesterday was a silent day,” Woods said. “I think everyone saved up for today. What an atmosphere to play in front of.”
Woods closed with a 2-under-par 69 - at one point going 41 holes without a bogey at Congressional - and won for the third time this year. It was the 74th victory of his career, moving him past Jack Nicklaus into second place on the PGA Tour, eight short of Sam Snead’s record.
“I remember there was a time when people were saying I could never win again,” Woods said.
He stayed at No. 4 in the world. Woods moved to the top of the PGA Tour money list and the FedEx Cup standings for the first time since September 2009. The victory also put him in a position to reclaim No. 1 over the final two majors of the year.
“I think he’s the only guy to win three tournaments on tour this year, is that correct?” he said. “On three different golf courses. And he was leading the U.S. Open after two days. So I’d say that he’s playing the best golf in the world right now.”
Van Pelt made him work for it.
Three times, Woods took the outright lead in the final round. Each time, Van Pelt made a birdie to catch him. The tournament was decided on the last three holes. Van Pelt had Woods on the ropes on the par-5 16th by ripping a 345-yard tee shot and having only a 6-iron into the green. Woods hit a spectator in the left rough with his tee shot, laid up, and then attacked a back flag only to see the ball tumble over the green and down an eight-foot slope. It looked as if it might be a two-shot swing for Van Pelt, or at least the lead going to the 17th.
That’s when Van Pelt answered with unforced errors of his own. His 6-iron didn’t quite reach the bunker, meaning he had to plant his feet in the sand and grip the wedge on the shaft for his third shot. He moved it only a few yards, still in the collar of the rough, and chipped about 12 feet by the hole. Woods’ chip up the slope rolled 15 feet by, and he missed the par putt.
Van Pelt also missed his par putt, and they walked away from that mess still tied for the lead.
Bryce Molder (Conway) shot 71 and finished tied for 42nd at 6 over. He earned $24,700.
In the final hour, it was clear this would come down to Woods and Van Pelt - one player with more than 70 career victories and another guy whose only official PGA Tour victory came in Milwaukee, a tournament that no longer exists.
EUROPEAN TOUR Donaldson wins Irish Open
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland - Jamie Donaldson won his first European Tour title by shooting a 6-under-par 66 to clinch a four stroke victory at the Irish Open on Sunday.
Beginning the fourth round with a one-shot lead, Donaldson birdied five of his last seven holes to shoot a fourth consecutive round in the 60s to total 18-under 270 and end an 11-year trophy drought that covered 255 tournaments.
Rafael Cabrera-Bello and Fabrizio Zanotti also shot 66 to finish tied for second with Anthony Wall (69).
Second-ranked Rory McIlroy finished with a 67 to tie for 10th. John Daly (Dardanelle, Arkansas Razorbacks) shot 67 and finished tied for 24th at 8 under.
WEB.COM TOUR Lingmerth falls in playoff
NEWBURGH, Ind. - David Lingmerth (Arkansas Razorbacks) finished second at the United Leasing Championship after making bogey on the fourth hole of a playoff with winner Peter Tomasulo.
Lingmerth shot 4-under-par 68 in regulation, matching Tomasulo (70) at 11 under 277. He earned $59,400.
Scott Gardiner (Farmington) shot 66 and finished tied for fourth at 9 under to earn $20,735. Tag Ridings (Arkansas Razorbacks) shot 73 and finished tied for 11th at 7 under to earn $11,660. Glen Day (Little Rock) shot 72 to finish tied for 16th at 6 under to earn $8,250. Ron Whittaker (Little Rock) shot 73 and finish tied for 40th at 1 under to earn $2,475.
CHAMPIONS TOUR Daley wins championship
PITTSBURGH - Joe Daley won the Senior Players Championship on Sunday for his first Champions Tour title, closing with a 2-under-par 68 for a two-stroke victory over Tom Lehman.
The 51-year-old Daley, winless in his PGA Tour career, had a 14-under 266 total. He earned $405,000 and full Champions Tour status for a calendar year.
Sports, Pages 15 on 07/02/2012