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Furyk wins close fight with Woods for Buick Open title
Michigan, Aug 04: Jim Furyk held off Tiger Woods by 2 strokes to win the Buick Open. U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk shot a four-under-par 68 and held off a late charge from world number one Tiger Woods to win the $4 million Buick Open Sunday.
Michigan, Aug 04: Jim Furyk held off Tiger Woods by 2 strokes to win the Buick Open. U.S. Open champion Jim Furyk shot a four-under-par 68 and held off a late charge from world number one Tiger Woods to win the $4 million Buick Open Sunday.
Furyk finished at 21-under 267, winning by two strokes over Woods (66), Australia's Geoff Ogilvy (65), Briny Baird (66) and Chris DiMarco (67).
It was the 33-year-old's second win of 2003 and ninth PGA Tour career win. Paul Goydos (68) and Neal Lancaster (69) finished tied for sixth at 18-under 270, while Andrew Magee (66), Fiji's Vijay Singh (66), Australia's Paul Gow (70) and Kenny Perry (70) rounded out the top 10 at 16-under 272.
Furyk, who played the back nine at Warwick Hills Golf and Country Club in 12 under for the tournament, bogeyed the par-three 11th, but bounced back with birdies at the par-five 13th and par-four 14th to open his final two-stroke margin.
By Furyk's own admission this win did not come easy. As the week unfolded his ball-striking and putting improved. After a three-putt green at the 11th, Furyk's lead was reduced to a stroke and he knew there were only so many birdie opportunities remaining.
At the par-five 13th, Furyk's drive took away the option of going for the green in two. After laying up, he hit a lob wedge to three feet and made the birdie putt.
At the par-four 14th, another errant drive left Furyk with a difficult approach from the short cut of rough. Furyk chipped to 15 feet and made the birdie putt to pad his lead.
Of Furyk's challengers throughout the final round, defending champion Woods and Ogilvy put the most heat on him. Ogilvy opened his round with three straight birdies before a bogey at the par-four fourth and then added birdies at the seventh and eighth holes for an outward 32.
The Australian, who notched his third runner-up finish in three years on the PGA Tour, added four more birdies on the back nine before a second bogey at the par-three 17th.
Woods's charge began after a birdie-bogey start for the second straight day. He used his length to birdie the remaining three par-five holes and added three more along the way. After his final birdie at the par-five 16th, though, there were no more birdies to be found.
Bureau Report
At the par-five 13th, Furyk's drive took away the option of going for the green in two. After laying up, he hit a lob wedge to three feet and made the birdie putt.
At the par-four 14th, another errant drive left Furyk with a difficult approach from the short cut of rough. Furyk chipped to 15 feet and made the birdie putt to pad his lead.
Of Furyk's challengers throughout the final round, defending champion Woods and Ogilvy put the most heat on him. Ogilvy opened his round with three straight birdies before a bogey at the par-four fourth and then added birdies at the seventh and eighth holes for an outward 32.
The Australian, who notched his third runner-up finish in three years on the PGA Tour, added four more birdies on the back nine before a second bogey at the par-three 17th.
Woods's charge began after a birdie-bogey start for the second straight day. He used his length to birdie the remaining three par-five holes and added three more along the way. After his final birdie at the par-five 16th, though, there were no more birdies to be found.
Bureau Report