August 20, 2002	Tuesday	Jamadi-us-Saani 10, 1423

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CHASKA (Minnesota), Aug 19: Rich Beem, who quit golf to sell car stereos and cell phones six years ago, held off a determined final round charge from a relentless Tiger Woods on Sunday to become the unlikely winner of the US PGA championship.

Beem, whose best finish in three previous majors was 70th at the 1999 PGA, held his nerve over a tense 18 final holes at the Hazeltine National Golf Club carding a final round four-under 68 to finish the tournament at 10-under — one shot ahead of a stalking Woods.

Bidding to become the first player to win three majors in a single season twice, Woods, wearing his traditional Sunday red, overcame a shaky start to mount a stirring charge.

After wiping four strokes off a five shot deficit on the front nine, Beem and Woods engaged in scintillating battle down the stretch, with the world number one fighting until the bitter end by closing out his round with four straight birdies.

But Woods, who has never come from behind to win a major, left his final challenge a bit late as the championship swung on two holes.

A well-earned eagle on the par-five fifth and a birdie on 13 combined with a bogey by Woods on 14 gave Beem a five-shot lead that he refused to squander.

A bogey on 14 and a Woods’ birdie on 16 reduced Beem’s lead to three.

But with Tiger mounting one last challenge, Beem snuffed out the threat with dazzling 40-foot birdie putt on 16, celebrating by throwing ball into the huge crowd.

The 31-year-old Texan stepped onto the 18th green leading by two and with a seven-foot putt to make.

He watched his first putt drift by the cup by 18 inches then stepped up and tapped in for the biggest victory of his career.

Leading final round scores (US unless stated):

278 — Rich Beem 72, 66, 72, 68.

279 — Tiger Woods 71, 69, 72, 67.

283 — Chris Riley 71, 70, 72, 70.

284 — Fred Funk 68, 70, 73, 73; Justin Leonard 72, 66, 69, 77.

285 — Rocco Mediate 72, 73, 70, 70.

286 — Mark Calcavecchia 70, 68, 74, 74.

287 — Vijay Singh (Fiji) 71, 73, 74, 68.

288 — Jim Furyk 68, 73, 76, 71.

289 — Sergio Garcia (Spain) 75, 73, 73, 68; Stewart Cink 74, 74, 72, 69; Robert Allenby (Australia) 76, 66, 77, 70; Pierre Fulke (Sweden) 72, 68, 78, 71; Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 74, 73, 71, 71; Steve Lowery 71, 71, 72, 74; Jose Coceres (Argentina) 72, 71, 72, 74.

290 — Charles Howell III 72, 69, 80, 69; Stuart Appleby (Australia) 73, 74, 74, 69; Steve Flesch 72, 74, 73, 71; Padraig Harrington (Ireland) 71, 73, 74, 72; Peter Lonard (Australia) 69, 73, 75, 73.

291 — Heath Slocum 73, 74, 75, 69.

292 — Michael Campbell (New Zealand) 73, 70, 77, 72; Jeff Sluman 70, 75, 74, 73; Bernhard Langer (Germany) 70, 72, 77, 73; Adam Scott (Australia) 71, 71, 76, 74; Justin Rose (Britain) 69, 73, 76, 74; Retief Goosen (South Africa) 69, 69, 79, 75.

Other international players:

293 — Craig Perks (New Zealand) 72, 76, 74, 71.

294 — Mike Weir (Canada) 73, 74, 77, 70; Ernie Els (South Africa) 72, 71, 75, 76.

296 — Shigeki Maruyama (Japan) 76, 72, 75, 73; Soren Hansen (Denmark) 73, 69, 78, 76.

297 — Steve Elkington (Australia) 72, 75, 76, 74; Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 71, 73, 77, 76.

298 — Toshimitsu Izawa (Japan) 72, 73, 75, 78; Tim Clark (South Africa) 72, 74, 76, 76; Greg Norman (Australia) 71, 74, 73, 80.

299 — Nick Faldo (Britain) 71, 76, 74, 78.

305 — Jose Maria Olazabal (Spain) 73, 74, 78, 80.

310 — Thomas Levet (France) 78, 70, 82, 80.