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10 for Tiger Woods clinches Johnnie Walker Classic
Updated: Sunday November 19, 2000 3:26 PM
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- When Tiger Woods is on his game, challengers know they have little chance to compete unless they play their best. Sometimes, as in the Johnnie Walker Classic, even that is not enough. "He's the best, he's the king," Australia's Geoff Ogilvy said Sunday, after Woods shot his third consecutive 7-under-par 65 for a 25-under 263 total and a three-stroke victory. Woods' winning score was the lowest four-round total of his career in relation to par and a record for the tournament, beating the 268 of South Africa's Ian Palmer in 1992. But it wasn't Woods' lowest total - he shot a 21-under 259 at the par-70 Firestone Country Club in the NEC Invitational this year. Ogilvy shot a closing 64 for 266 and was runner-up for the second straight year. He had eight birdies and barely missed two eagles in the final round. "I've never started the weekend being two behind, shot a 67 and then a 64 and lost by three," Ogilvy said. "It's ridiculous and that was as good as I could have played. All credit to him [Woods].
"My goal was to win the tournament, to shoot low and to make him [Woods] have to play. ... To do a 64 today and to chase Tiger at the back of the back nine, making birdie for birdie, that was a fantastic feeling. "However, finishing second to Tiger is almost like winning." Defending champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand shot a 69 and was third at 270 over the par-72, 6,989-yard Alpine Golf and Sports Club course. Woods began the tournament with a 68 and was tied for fourth. He surged into the lead on the second day and kept it. Woods was unlucky not to finish farther ahead Sunday. At the par-5 14th, his eagle putt stopped on the edge of the hole, as did his birdie putt at the 15th. Then, at the par-5 17th, he just missed chipping in for a three. It was the 10th title of the year for Woods, who earned $190,798 and had the satisfaction of being back in his usual top spot after a disappointing fifth-place tie in the American Express Championship last week. With a victory, Woods maintained his unbeaten record as a professional in Thailand. He first won the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1998 on Thailand's Phuket Island, and in 1997 he claimed the Asian Honda Classic in Bangkok. "It's special any time I can come back to my Mom's country and win," Wood said. "I had a lot of family and friends out there."
Australian Rodney Pampling and Scotland's Paul Lawrie tied for
fourth at 272. Next at 276 were Australia's Wayne Smith and
Sweden's Jesper Parnevik. Smith was the opening round leader with a
65, but shot a 73 Sunday.
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