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Grand champion Woods captures Grand Slam title in record fashionPosted: Wednesday November 21, 2001 7:35 PMUpdated: Wednesday November 21, 2001 8:45 PM
POIPU BEACH, Hawaii (AP) -- The PGA Grand Slam of Golf is turning into the Tiger Woods Invitational. Woods won his fourth straight Grand Slam on Wednesday, finishing with a record 12-under 132 total for a three-stroke victory over David Toms. Woods, the Masters champion, also matched the tournament record with a 7-under 65 in the final round on the Poipu Bay course. Toms, the PGA champion, shot a 67. "I don't know what it is," Woods said about his dominance on the 7,053-yard oceanside course. "One thing, it's always great to come here because you've either won a major or done really well." Woods earned $400,000 from the $1 million purse. Toms received $250,000. U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen closed with a 71 to finish third at 137 and earn $200,000, and British Open champion David Duval was last at 4-over 148 after a 72. He earned $150,000. Woods broke the tournament record of 11 under set by Ernie Els in 1997 and also broke a tie with Greg Norman for the tournament victory record.
Woods said it was an honor to play in the two-day event for the winners of the four major championships. "I look forward to it. I get up for it," he said. Woods jumped out early in the closing round, birdieing five of the first seven holes. He made the turn at 4-under 32. He started the day a stroke behind Goosen, but took the lead for good with a 5-foot birdie putt on the 573-yard sixth after hitting a 320-yard drive and a 252-yard approach with a 6-iron. Woods also made a 30-foot birdie putt the fourth. "I feel comfortable being here, but I didn't feel comfortable with my swing yesterday," he said. "I kind of slopped around and hung in there. But today I hit some good shots and made some putts." He coasted in the final three holes when Goosen and Toms bogeyed the 16th, giving him a three-stroke advantage with two holes to play. Woods birdied the final two holes. "He plays another level of golf that I can't," Toms said about Woods. "I can't play at that level because I don't have the power. When he's driving the ball in the fairway, especially on the par 5s, it's an advantage." Goosen shot a 66 to take a one-stroke lead over Woods after the first round. But four bogeys on the back nine in the final round hurt his chances of beating Woods. "I made a couple birdies coming in, but bogeys on 16 and 17, and the missed short putt on 14 -- that really cost my chances of putting any pressure on Tiger," Goosen said. Duval shot himself out of the tournament with a first-round 76. "It was fun to watch. I tried to stay out of the way the best I could for the chop, and it's been a good experience," he said. "I'm really looking forward to the long Thanksgiving weekend and I'm glad to be done working right now for a few days."
Woods will join Norman, Colin Montgomerie and Jesper Parnevik in
the Skins Game this weekend in Indio, Calif.
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