Tiger Woods reclaimed golf’s world number-one ranking with a thrilling sudden death victory on Sunday at the Masters tournament at the Augusta National course in Georgia. Tiger sank a five-meter birdie putt on the first playoff hole to hold off hard-charging fellow-American Chris DiMarco. Woods emotional victory Sunday - his first win at a major tournament in three years - may finally silence his critics.
His nine major championships have come in every conceivable fashion routs, the nail-biters, play offs everything. As an interesting sideshow, it also included what once was unthinkable. A Tiger stumble on the closing two holes, which not only further eroded his once unshakable reputation, but made his fourth Masters and ninth career major equal parts joy and relief. It had been since June 2002, as the stretch of 10 majors, since he had won one of the golf’s four biggest events. The picture came into complete focus on Sunday afternoon when Tiger Woods marched through that long gauntlet of tall Georgia pines and mesmerized spectators on the narrow 18th fairway at Augusta National Golf Club preparing to put the finishing touches on his fourth Masters championship. Rounding out of the top 10 are Padraig Harrington (6), DiMarco (7), Sergio Garcia (8), David Toms (9) and Adam Scott (10).
DiMarco briefly joined Woods in the lead when he birdied the 15th, but Woods did likewise from just a couple of feet moments later, and then looked to have made sure of his fourth green jacket when he chipped in at the par-three 16th. His tee shot found the second cut of grass, but knowing DiMarco was safely on the green, Woods played the shot of the tournament, judging the line and pace to perfection and then pumping his fist when the ball fell in after briefly stopping on the edge. DiMarco had the chance to level proceedings again when Woods found a greenside bunker on the way to a bogey at the 17th, but saw his birdie putt slide by the hole. And after Woods found a bunker at the last, DiMarco came close to chipping in himself from just off the green, only for the ball to bounce out of the cup, but he made his par and Woods made bogey, resulting in the playoff.
