Tiger Woods, playing rock-steady golf, coasted to his 79th career win on the US PGA Tour yesterday at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio.
Seven ahead overnight at one of his favourite venues, where he was bidding for a record eighth World Golf Championships (WGC) title, Woods covered the front nine in level-par 35, effectively shutting the door on his closest pursuers.
A birdie at the 10th was nulified by a bogey at the 14th as he shot a level-par 70 for a 265 total, 15 under par, and seven shots ahead of his Henrik Stenson (70) and Keegan Bradley (67)
The galleries were lined three-to-four deep on the right side of the fairway before Woods teed off in his hunt for a fifth victory on the PGA Tour this season in only 11 starts, fans having welcomed him with shouts of "Go Tiger" and "79".
After using an iron off the tee at the par-4 first to find the left portion of the fairway, he struck his approach just short of the green into the rough from where he chipped five feet past the hole and made the putt to save par.
Wearing his trademark Sunday red shirt, Woods played solidly for the next eight holes, lining up mid-range birdie putts on each green while squandering his only close opportunity from six feet at the second.
The tournament was effectively over after Woods had distanced himself from the high-quality field with a stunning nine-under-61 on Friday and many of his rivals all but conceded they were playing for second place.
Miguel Angel Jimenez again proved he is back to his best after breaking a bone in his leg earlier in the year in a skiing accident by finishing in joint fourth place alongside Zach Johnston and Jason Dufner. The 49-year-old Spanish veteran shot a one-under 69 for a six-under total of 274.
Paul Lawrie was the leading Scot on 282 after closing with a level-par 70, four shots ahead of Stephen Gallacher (71) and five ahead of Martin Laird (69), and Richie Ramsay (72).
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