 | FINAL LEADERBOARD -15 T Woods (US)
-7 R Kawagishi (Jpn)
-5 KJ Choi (S Korea) |
Tiger Woods picked up his first strokeplay title of the year when he won the Dunlop Phoenix tournament by eight shots on Sunday. The 28-year-old fired a three-under-par 67 for a 16-under total of 264 to claim his maiden win in Japan.
Woods's triumph signalled a welcome return to form after his five-year reign as world number one was ended by Fiji's Vijay Singh in September.
It also halted a run of 20 consecutive strokeplay events without a win.
The drought was Woods' longest since turning professional in 1996.
Japan's Ryoken Kawagishi finished runner-up at the $1.9m event after a final-round 65.
|  With all the changes I've made with my golf swing, it was just a matter of time |
South Korean KJ Choi was a further two shots back in third place on six-under 274.
Last year's winner Thomas Bjorn of Denmark hit a closing 64 for 277, earning him seventh spot.
Woods had failed to win in three previous visits to Japan.
He finished eighth at the 2002 Dunlop Phoenix, 15th in the 1998 Casio Open and also lost in a sudden-death playoff at the 2001 World Cup.
"It's a great sign. I've come close in 2004 but to finally get over the top is such a great feeling," said Woods.
"With all the changes I've made with my golf swing, it was just a matter of time. I'm excited about my prospects. "I knew that if I shot under par on each side the guys chasing me would have to shoot in the 50s to catch me and that's pretty tough to do."
MMIX
E-mail this to a friend 
Printable version 
