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DUBAI, Feb 3: Tiger Woods gave another remarkable display to win the Dubai Desert Classic title on Sunday, his seventh victory in eight tournament appearances.
The world No 1 started the day four shots adrift of leader Ernie Els but produced a trademark last-day charge as a seven-under-par 65 earned a 14-under total of 274.
Woods, who romped to an eight-shot victory at the Buick Invitational in California last Sunday, celebrated like he had won a major championship after rolling in a long, snaking, 30-foot putt for a birdie at the last.
His four at the water-guarded 18th meant the 13-times major champion finished the tournament with the best back nine of the week, a six-under 31.
Woods went to the turn in 34 but a chip-in birdie at the 12th got his juices flowing and his haul of six birdies on the inward half set a clubhouse target no one could match.
“I thought I had to shoot 30 on the back nine to force a playoff,” Woods told Sky television. “I went out there to do the best I could, shot 31 and that happened to be good enough.”
German youngster Martin Kaymer was one stroke adrift in second place after a spectacular birdie-birdie-eagle finish gave him a 66.
Three-time champion Els had to settle for third on 276 along with fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen.
Leading final-round scores:
274 – Tiger Woods (US) 65, 71, 73, 65.
275 – Martin Kaymer (Germany) 67, 73, 69, 66.
276 – Ernie Els (South Africa) 68, 72, 65, 71; Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 73, 69, 69, 65.
278 – Graeme McDowell (Britain) 67, 72, 69, 70.
280 – Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 72, 71, 72, 65; Soren Hansen (Denmark) 68, 72, 70, 70; Peter Hedblom (Sweden) 69, 70, 70, 71; Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 68, 70, 68, 74.
281 – Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 72, 71, 70, 68; Ross Fisher (Britain) 69, 70, 71, 71; Thomas Levet (France) 67, 71, 72, 71; Lee Westwood (Britain) 69, 71, 68, 73.
282 – Bradley Dredge (Britain) 73, 72, 68, 69; Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (France) 72, 68, 72, 70; Scott Hend (Australia) 67, 72, 72, 71; Paul McGinley (Ireland) 71, 72, 69, 70; Gary Murphy (Ireland) 67, 72, 71, 72.
283 – Sergio Garcia (Spain) 68, 71, 70, 74; Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 69, 73, 70, 71; Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 70, 70, 73, 70; Hennie Otto (South Africa) 69, 70, 72, 72; Jeev Milkha Singh (India) 67, 76, 69, 71; Anthony Wall (Britain) 73, 72, 68, 70.
284 – Paul Broadhurst (Britain) 70, 71, 69, 74; Simon Dyson (Britain) 67, 77, 67, 73; David Frost (South Africa) 72, 69, 69, 74; Brendan Jones (Australia) 71, 71, 74, 68; Shiv Kapur (India) 68, 72, 69, 75.
285 – Ariel Canete (Argentina) 68, 75, 72, 70; Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 73, 71, 72, 69; Peter O’Malley (Australia) 68, 73, 70, 74.—Reuters
