It's Woods again at Buick Open
BY Bruce Young | US PGA Tour | 2009 Buick Open | Round Four | 03 Aug 2009
Tiger Woods made it win number 69 on the USPGA Tour by cruising to a three shot win at the Buick Open in Grand Blanc in Michigan, winning the event for the third time in the process. Whether Woods’ heroics and the massive crowd support he garnered are enough to save the event from Buick’s sponsorship withdrawal, remains to be seen but he could do little more than he has done this week.
After his slow start on Thursday where an opening round of 71 left him well off the early pace set by John Senden, Woods bounced back with rounds of 63 and 65 to take the lead heading into the final day. While the likes of Roland Thatcher, Greg Chalmers and John Senden ensured he could afford no mistakes, Woods made none and with a bogey free round of 69 ran out an easy winner.
Having missed the cut at his previous start at Turnberry, Woods is now back on track for the big events over the next two weeks, including the World Golf Championship – Bridgestone Invitational in Akron, Ohio and the US PGA Championship in Minnesota. Woods will seek his seventh win in Akron next week.
John Senden made a bold late run at Woods, as did Chalmers, and both can be pleased with their weeks. Senden arrived in Grand Blanc having missed his previous two cuts while for Chalmers the US$380,000 he earns for his share of second ensures him of his PGA Tour status in 2010.
They shared second with Roland Thatcher, whose final round of 64 was the best of the day and moved him from 29th to the share of second.
Matt Jones was 18th, Nathan Green, Jason Day and James Nitties 28th, Mark Hensby and Marc Leishman 37th, Stuart Appleby 57th and Aron Price 68th.
The PGA Tour will now play the World Golf Championship Bridgestone Invitational in Ohio and the Reno Tahoe event in Nevada.
