Vintage Woods victorious at Buick Open
IN: News | US PGA | Buick Open (2006) | Wrap | by Bruce Young | 07 Aug 2006
Tiger Woods' three shot victory in this week's Buick Open further confirms the form he displayed in the latter rounds at the Western Open and during his superb win at the Open Championship.
Woods won his 50th career title, just a month short of ten years after joining the paid ranks and with the PGA at Medinah now just ten days away there would be few prepared to bet against that total becoming 51 and his major total twelve at Medinah on August 20th.
The small swing correction Woods made on Thursday at the Western Open has now seen him play his last eleven rounds of golf in a collective 54 under par and not only is he now making plenty of birdies but he is reducing his mistakes with just 16 bogeys in the 198 holes played since Thursday afternoon at the Western.
Starting the final day with a two shot lead over Scott Verplank, Robert Allenby and Lucas Glover, Woods appeared to have put the issue beyond doubt by the turn when he headed for home at 22 under and with a lead of two over Jim Furyk, who was in the process of finishing off his round of 64. Furyk played the last round just over an hour ahead of Woods and when he birdied his third consecutive hole at the 15th he had moved within one.
The roll that Woods had been on for so much of the week left him briefly early in the back nine and when he bogeyed the short par four 12th, he and Furyk were tied at 21 under. Furyk was unable to apply any further pressure and Woods immediately responded to the bogey he had made with a birdie at the 13th after almost holing his third at the par five. Another was added at the 15th after a fabulous six iron to four feet. It was vintage Woods - responding to every challenge.
Unable to reach the green at the par five 16th, Woods pitched to 12 feet but missed an opportunity to seal it there and then when his 12 foot putt was pushed. At the par three 17th his tee shot finished 35 feet past the hole and despite the best efforts of a spectator who threw an apple at the green while Woods was putting, he holed a very good return putt for par and had the two shot cushion playing the last.
His fairway wood, reportedly a five wood, from the tee at the 18th was superb and very long at 291 yards and with just very short iron he hit his approach to ten feet. That putt never looked like missing and so the victory belonged to Woods, no doubt pleasing the good folk at Buick with whom he has had such a long association.
Furyk finished second one shot ahead of Joe Durant who recorded his best finish of the year and his best since his third place at the Colonial last year. Sharing fourth place were Sean O'Hair, Vaughn Taylor and Scott Verplank. After such a brilliant rookie year in 2006, O'Hair has taken a while to find his form again in 2006 but his last few weeks have been increasingly impressive and it would not surprise to see the youngster win again soon.
The best of the Australians was 15th placed Robert Allenby, who had started the day in second place but self destructed on his way to a front nine of 39. He recovered somewhat on the back nine but it was a costly day. Still, Allenby has played very well in recent weeks.
David McKenzie was the next best when 20th, continuing some reasonably good form in recent weeks after a slow start to his rookie season on the USPGA Tour. Stephen Leaney was 40th, Nathan Green 50th, Geoff Ogilvy 60th and Rod Pampling 70th.
The PGA Tour now heads to Colorado for the International although the next time we see Woods in action will be on the first tee at Medinah on August 17th where he will look to go back to back with PGA wins at that venue.
Photo - WireImage.com
