Dubai: Tiger Woods wrote the latest chapter in his colourful career with a stunning one-stroke victory in the $2.5million Dubai Desert Classic on Sunday.
The world No 1, who started the day four shots behind the leader Ernie Els, took the fight to the big-hitting South African with a blistering round of 65 that saw him reclaim the top spot on the leaderboard.
And despite throwing everything he had into Sunday's game, Els, whose painful memories of losing to Woods on the first extra hole two years ago must have been playing on his mind, made a grave error that cost him the chance of gaining revenge.
Needing a birdie on the final hole to force another play-off the three-time champion put his second shot into the water as he attempted to find the green with a three-wood.
After taking a drop he could only putt for a bogey-six as television cameras picked up Woods being escorted back from the clubhouse for the presentation ceremony.
Els eventually finished in joint third place with fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen on 12-under while German youngster Martin Kaymer, the winner in Abu Dhabi, secured the runner-up slot with a final-round 66.
Woods, who has now won seven of his last eight tournaments, including his season opener, the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines in California last month, said: "Two mistakes from Els gave me a chance.
Great start
"It's great to win two from two. I couldn't have asked for a better start to the year.
"You play to win and so far I've done that."
Woods's four-shot final round winning comeback is the largest in Dubai Desert Classic history, beating the three shots of Spain's Jose Maria Olazabal in 1998 and Dutchman Robert-Jan Derksen in 2003.
Reflecting on his final round after collecting the winner's cheque of $460,660 the world No 1 said: "I felt good today with my stroke. Yesterday it was just a touch off, but today I feel like I rolled the ball well and all week I had good pace.
"When you have good pace, you can read the greens and I was reading them pretty good all week."
Woods also had some words of comfort for Els whose luck deserted him just when he needed it the most.
"He played well. But that's just the way it goes."
Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell shot a 70 yesterday to seal fifth place on 10-under while defending champion Henrik Stenson also found the water on the 18th to finish joint fifth with Argentina's Ricardo Gonzales, Denmark's Soren Hansen and fellow Swede Peter Hedblom .
SCORES
Leading final round (par 72):
- 274 - Tiger Woods (USA) 65-71-73-65
- 275 - Martin Kaymer (GER) 67-73-69-66
- 276 - Louis Oosthuizen (RSA) 73-69-69-65, Ernie Els (RSA) 68-72-65-71
- 278 - Graeme McDowell (IRL) 67-72-69-70
- 280 - Ricardo Gonzalez (ARG) 72-71-72-65, Soren Hansen (DEN) 68-72-70-70, Peter Hedblom (SWE) 69-70-70-71, Henrik Stenson (SWE) 68-70-68-74
- 281 - Niclas Fasth (SWE) 72-71-70-68, Thomas Levet (FRA) 67-71-72-71, Ross Fisher (ENG) 69-70-71-71, Lee Westwood (ENG) 69-71-68-73
- 282 - Bradley Dredge (WAL) 73-72-68-69, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (FRA) 72-68-72-70, Paul McGinley (IRL) 71-72-69-70, Scott Hend (AUS) 67-72-72-71, Gary Murphy (IRL) 67-72-71-72
- 283 - Robert Karlsson (SWE) 70-70-73-70, Anthony Wall (ENG) 73-72-68-70, Thongchai Jaidee (THA) 79-73-70-71, Jeev Milkha Singh (IND) 67-76-69-71, Hennie Otto (RSA) 69-70-72-72, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 68-71-70-74.
