Olazabal agony as Woods wins play-off
Tiger Woods beat Jose Maria Olazabal at the second hole of a play-off to grab a record fourth Buick Invitational victory today.
The pair had tied with Nathan Green on the 10-under-par total of 278.
After Green had bowed out by running up a bogey six on the first extra hole Olazabal’s hopes of repeating his 2002 win in the event ended when, after a brilliant bunker shot, he lipped out from four feet.
For Woods, in his first appearance of 2006 and since his 30th birthday, it meant a successful defence of the trophy. It was his 47th US Tour success, his 66th worldwide – and incredibly his 12th win in 14 play-offs. Only Billy Mayfair and Nick Price have beaten him and they were both eight years ago.
Olazabal was trying to become the first European to win seven tournaments in America, but was denied in overtime just as he was by Phil Mickelson at last season’s BellSouth Classic.
The twice Masters champion had been 105th after an opening 74, but set the target with a closing 69.
He was caught first by Green, who also two-putted the last for birdie, and then by world number one Woods when he did the same.
Woods then had a chance when the trio returned to the long 18th, but pulled a seven-footer wide.
Sergio Garcia, who shared the overnight lead with Rod Pampling, bogeyed four of his first six holes and could not get back on terms.
Garcia required a closing eagle to be part of the shoot-out and was on the green at the par five in two, but nearly 60 feet from the flag. Not only did he fail to make it, he missed the next one as well and so finished only eighth.
Norway’s Henrik Bjornstad, like Green a US Tour rookie, stormed into the early lead when he went to the turn in 32, but he fell back to seven under with an inward 39.
With the lead changing almost by the minute Jesper Parnevik held a share of it for a while, but was knocked out of contention by bogeys at the 15th and 17th.
Mickelson, like Woods seeking a fourth victory in the event, had three successive bogeys from the 14th when poised to strike.
Like Garcia, a closing eagle would have given him a place in the play-off, but he drove into a fairway bunker and only parred.
Indian Arjun Atwal three-putted the last to miss by one and American Lucas Glover left a 70-foot effort for 10 under a couple of inches short.
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