 | FREE VIDEO |
 | 'It really is a dream come true' Aug. 20: Tiger Woods talks about his emotions after winning the PGA Championship. NBC Sports |
Golf on NBC |
 | Next up: Del Webb Father-Son Challenge |
 | Latest golf video |
 Woods achieves goal of winning Nov. 15: Tiger Woods says he put together some good rounds to win in Australia. |
 | Special feature |
 |
 | Slideshow |
 | NBCSports.com |
 | Slideshow |
 | more photos |
| Slideshow |
 | more photos |
Luke Donald was tied for the lead going into the final round at Medinah and didn’t make a single birdie, closing with a 74 to finish in a tie for third at 12-under 276 with Adam Scott (67) and Garcia (70).
“Tiger just doesn’t back up,” said Steve Stricker, who made a late bid for the Ryder Cup. “He doesn’t let anybody get close to him, especially in the last round.”
So dominant was this performance that Woods made only three bogeys the entire week, including a harmless one on the par-3 17th hole over Lake Kadijah when he was playing it safe. All that cost him was the scoring record in relation to par. He settled for 18 under, the same score he posted at Valhalla in 2000.
It was the fifth major that Woods won by at least five shots. He now has won his 12 majors by a combined 56 shots, while Nicklaus won his 18 majors by 44 shots.
That Woods has never lost a 54-hole lead in a major was enough to make some believe it was due to happen, especially on a soft course yielding low scores and a strong cast of contenders behind him.
|
No.
U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy found water on the second hole and three-putted from 8 feet on No. 3 to disappear. Garcia chunked a wedge and made bogey on the par-5 seventh to stall his momentum. Mike Weir got within one shot of Woods at No. 5, but he couldn’t keep up the pace and fell back to a 73.
Donald was in contention at a major for the first time, but not for long.
They were tied atop the leaderboard and in the wardrobe department — both wore a red shirt — as thousands crammed in around the putting green, the first tee and down both sides of the fairway. Donald had equal support, not only from winning an NCAA title at Northwestern, but sticking around to make Chicago his home.
Cheers of “Luuuuuuke” followed him toward the first tee, but they faded quickly. Woods hit 7-iron into 10 feet, and kept his head so still over his birdie putt that he didn’t look up until it was inches from dropping in.
No one caught him the rest of the day.
|
Donald caught a bad break when his ball landed in a muddy divot on No. 4, leading to his first bogey in 40 holes. He missed a 5-foot birdie on the par-5 fifth, and that effectively ended his tournament.
The only drama left was the U.S. Ryder Cup team, and that also turned into a snoozer.
Tim Herron needed a two-way tie for seventh and was looking good with two birdies on his first five holes, but he followed that with two straight bogeys and never recovered, shooting 73. Stricker made a late surge, needing to finish third. He got as high as a tie for sixth until the birdies dried up, he finished with a bogey for a 69 and tied for seventh.
Davis Love III finished with three straight bogeys, completing a 73-76 weekend and is not likely to be picked.
|
The top 10 players who earned a spot on the team were Woods, Phil Mickelson, Jim Furyk, David Toms, Chad Campbell, DiMarco, Vaughn Taylor, J.J. Henry, Zach Johnson and Brett Wetterich.
Tom Lehman will make his two captain’s picks Monday morning, with Stewart Cink likely to be one of them. Cink was 12th in the standings and closed with a 69 while paired with vice captain Corey Pavin. Another player under consideration is Lucas Glover, who was 14th in the standings and shot 72 on Sunday and tied for 46th.
- Discuss Story On Newsvine
-
Rate Story:
LowHigh - Instant Message
MORE FROM GOLF |
 Golf Section Front |
| Add Golf headlines to your news reader: |
Sponsored links