Tiger Takes Thailand by the Tail, Wins Big

Tiger Woods began his trip to Thailand with a bout of heat exhaustion and food poisoning.

By the end, things were working out quite nicely. There was a royal decoration, a blowout victory Sunday in the Asia Honda Classic at Bangna, Thailand, and a week’s earnings of more than $500,000.

“Always keep the game fun,” Woods said. “Obviously golf is a very serious part of my life, but when you stop having fun at it, that’s when it’s time to hang it up.”

Woods won the tournament by 10 strokes, receiving an embrace from his mother, Kultida, on the 18th green while a crowd of some 3,000 fans chanted his name. Kultida Woods was born in Thailand.

With no competition down the stretch, Woods was smiling and doffing his cap the last few holes, the first time he could enjoy such a luxury since he turned professional last year.

Woods closed with a four-under-par 68 for a total of 20-under 268. He earned $48,450 for the victory plus a $480,000 appearance fee.

Woods, whose closest rival was Mo Joong-kyung of South Korea at 278, had five birdies during the final round and nearly eagled the fourth hole. He had a bogey on the 17th hole when a drive sliced into the water.

“I knew my swing wasn’t working well,” said Woods, whose every move drew applause. “I made some bad shot out there, but I made some key putts and that’s what wins golf tournaments.”

The week began on a down note. He quit on the 13th hole of Wednesday’s pro-am with what tournament organizers said was heat exhaustion and food poisoning. The 20-hour flight from California and the sapping heat left him weak with jet lag and fatigue.

The week ended with Woods being presented with the royal decoration by Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh at a reception, but not all went well Sunday night.

After the reception, Woods’ flight to Melbourne, Australia, where he will compete in the Australian Masters starting Thursday, was canceled. So instead of arriving in Melbourne early today, he won’t arrive until tonight.

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Hale Irwin birdied three of the final five holes--including a 40-foot bunker shot on No. 15--to earn a one-shot victory in the Senior PGA Tour’s $1-million LG Championship at Naples, Fla.

Irwin’s final-round seven-under-par 65 at Bay Colony Golf Club gave him a 54-hole total of 15-under-par 201, one shot better than runner-up Bob Murphy, who also finished with a 65.

The victory earned Irwin a $150,000 payday and gave him a clean sweep in two Senior PGA Tour tournament appearances this season. Irwin won the season-opening Tournament of Champions and now leads the money list with $336,000.

Vicente Fernandez closed with a 68 to take third, three shots back at 12-under.

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Kelly Robbins parred the second playoff hole to win the $500,000 National Pro-Am golf tournament at Ibis Country Club in West Palm Beach, Fla.

Robbins two-putted from 12 feet at the par-four 10th hole to beat Emilee Klein, who had a sensational nine-under-par 63 on the 6,277-yard Legend course to catch the front-running Robbins at 17-under par 271. But on the second playoff hole, Klein was short with her approach, chipped long and missed her par putt.

Robbins finished with 67 and had five birdies. Klein had nine birdies, including five on the front nine-- three on the first three holes.

Chris Johnson posted her second consecutive five-under par 67 with six birdies and a bogey to grab third at 13-under 275.

Kate Golden, who got in the tournament as an alternate Thursday morning, snared her best finish in more than three years on the tour, fourth on 68-286.

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Vijay Singh shot a three-under-par 69 to hold off Nick Price and win the South African Open at Johannesburg.

Singh started the day with a two-stroke lead and held it with help from Price, who dropped a shot at 15 when he went in the water and missed birdie putts at 16 and 17.

When Price birdied the final hole with a 20-foot putt, Singh calmly two-putted for par and the victory, worth $116,000 in the PGA European Tour event.

Singh’s total of 270 was 18 under par at the 7,408 yard par-72 Glendower course. Price, of Zimbabwe, finished at 271, four shots ahead of an African threesome of countryman Mark McNulty, defending champion Ernie Els and fellow South African Fulton Allem.

“I putted really well today,” Singh said after receiving the winner’s trophy. “I almost gave it away on 17 there, but that’s part of the game.”

He was referring to an approach shot pulled to the left, which forced Singh to recover by chipping on and then sinking a tricky putt to save par.

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Tiger as a Pro Tiger Woods, who won the Asian Honda Open on Sunday, earned $48,450 and continued his success since turning professional. A look at how he has done on the PGA Tour (the Asian event is not a PGA Tour event):

Tournaments: 11

Tournaments won: 3

Finished second: 1

Third: 2

Top 10: 7

Top 25: 10

Earnings: $1,194,044