Tiger Woods finds a way to win in Dubai
BY Bruce Young | European PGA Tour | 2006 Dubai Desert Classic | Round Four | 06 Feb 2006
Tiger Woods has a way of making things happen even when his game is not 100%. As was the case last week at Torrey Pines, Woods was battling not only several high class contenders on a congested leaderboard over the closing holes of this week’s Dubai Classic, but a game that was still not at its peak just two weeks back into season 2006. As is so often the case with champions however, he found a way to emerge as the winner.
In 1997, when Richard Green beat Greg Norman and Ian Woosnam in a playoff to win this event, he produced a shot at the 18th hole in a playoff that he still recalls as one of his career best when he hit a great pitch close to win. This week however he will recall the 18th for what it cost him rather than what he gained from it. Leading by one shot with one hole to play, Green took on the left hand corner of the dogleg with his tee shot and lost if left. It came to rest in the sandy wasteland and not only did he have no chance of going for the green, he was now faced with a tough task to get it back onto the fairway and hopefully make par at worst. In an attempt to escape the sand and trees surrounding him, he caught it heavy and came to rest directly behind a tree. He could only pitch out from there and was not able to get up and down from 135 yards to save par.
He was then back tied with Els and Woods. Els, who was playing in the same group as Green but ahead of Woods, found the green in two at the last and two putted and had set the new clubhouse total of 19 under. Woods birdied the 17th after smashing his drive onto the par four green and was then at 18 under. At the last he finished just off the green with his second to the par five but was able to get up and down and join Els in a playoff.
Like Green had done earlier, Els made a bit of a mess of the par five 18th which was the first playoff hole. He turned his drive over a little when trying to shave the dogleg left and found the sandy waste left of the fairway. Woods was long and straight. Knowing he likely needed a birdie to match Woods, Els almost pulled off a miraculous escape but it came up a just a few yards short in the water. Woods duly two putted for his par and his first victory in three visits to Dubai.
It was a classic duel amongst two of the game’s leading players. Els, who has played in four events since his knee surgery, showed he is close to where he needs to be to move back up the world ranking from his current number five.
Green finished alone in third and although he will no doubt be disappointed with letting a great chance slip at the last there will be a lot of satisfaction knowing that he is back on track after an indifferent finish to 2005. He played well early in the season last year but lost his way with some scheduling issues in the middle of the year. He had shown a high level of consistency over the previous twelve months and it may be that he now has that back.
Woods again showed that despite his hefty appearance fees for playing in places like Dubai and other tournament stops internationally, he gives serious ’bang for buck’. Almost without exception when Woods makes the commitment to play outside the US in other than Majors and World Golf Championship events he is always in serious contention at those events. For Woods it is not a case of just taking the money and running but rather committing himself to the event and doing his very best on each occasion.
Anders Hansen who took a share of the third round lead with Woods into the final day was woeful on the greens in round four and he would eventually share fourth with Miguel Angel Jimenez just two back of the playoff pair.
Retief Goosen was perhaps disappointing when he slipped to 6th from 3rd in the final round but Darren Clarke and the ever present Henrik Stenson went the other way with good last rounds to finish in a share of 7th.
Of the other Australians Nick O’Hern’s equal best last round of 66 saw him move to 19th, Paul Sheehan was 55th, Peter O’Malley 63rd, Marcus Fraser 69th and Wade Ormsby 75th.
The European Tour now heads to Perth in Western Australia for the Johnnie Walker Classic.
Photo – Dubai Desert Classic
