July 30, 2003	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Awwal 29, 1424

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)

SAN DIEGO (California), July 29: Sergio Garcia sank a 20-foot eagle putt on the 16th hole on Monday as he and Phil Mickelson posted a 3 and 1 match play victory over Tiger Woods and Ernie Els in the Battle of the Bridges.

After Els hit his second shot into the water on the par-5, 571-yard 16th, Mickelson and Garcia hit their second shots onto the green.

Woods put his second shot into a greenside bunker but got his sand shot onto the green. Mickelson missed his eagle attempt, setting up Garcia’s pivotal putt.

The teams had halved the previous seven holes but Garcia’s eagle put his team two holes ahead with two to play.

Mickelson was conceded his short birdie putt on the 17th hole to close out the match after Woods and Els missed their birdie attempts.

Garcia and Mickelson finished their 17 holes 10-under par while Woods and Els finished 7-under par.

Garcia and Mickelson each earned 600,000 dollars with their win and each will donate 100,000 dollars to a designated charity.

Woods and Els earned 250,000 dollars each and will give 50,000 dollars to their favourite charity.

Garcia and Mickelson are winless on Tour this year.

Mickelson’s 12-foot birdie putt at the opening hole got his team off to a quick start they never relinquished.

Garcia sank an eight-foot birdie putt at the third hole to extend their lead to 2-up. Garcia extended his team’s lead to three holes with a winding 15-foot birdie putt at the sixth hole.

Woods was conceded a birdie on the seventh hole after his eagle attempt was inches away. Mickelson and Garcia both missed short birdie putts prior to the concession.

Woods closed to within 1-down with a two-foot birdie putt on the par-3, eighth hole.—AFP