Eight Not Enough to Keep Woods From Rallying to Win in Thailand

Tiger Woods did what he had to do, including hang around the golf course.

Ernie Els couldn’t do what he needed to do, including putt on the last two days of the tournament.

Woods shot a seven-under-par 65 in the final round of the Johnnie Walker Classic, then watched Els fall apart Sunday. Two playoff holes later, Woods finished the day with an improbable victory in the tournament in Phuket, Thailand.

He had started it eight strokes behind.

“I’ve never done anything like that as a professional,” said Woods, who once rallied from nine strokes behind on the final day to win a junior tournament. “It was pretty amazing.”

Woods, who had rounds of 72-72-71 entering Sunday, finished his round two hours ahead of Els and hung around the Blue Canyon Country Club course while Els wilted in the tropical heat.

Els had led the first three days, but shot 74 and 73 in the third and fourth rounds.

When he bogeyed the 17th hole to fall one shot behind, Woods was called back from the clubhouse. He rushed to the practice tees, only to find no golf balls. Woods took only five or six practice swings before resuming play.

“I was pretty nervous on the greens because I hadn’t had any practice putting,” Woods said. “When I warmed up, I hit the ball as hard as I could to get the adrenaline in my system going.”

Els made a birdie putt on No. 18 to force the playoff, and the two finished 72 holes at nine-under-par 279.

Els and Woods played the 18th twice during the playoff.

On the first extra hole, Woods drove at least 40 yards past the South African. He chipped onto the fringe and two-putted for par.

Els chipped about 15 feet to the right of the hole. His putt rolled an inch to the right, leaving both men tied.

The second time, Woods sent his shot 14 feet to the right of the hole. Els rolled a chip just past the hole, setting up Woods’ winning putt. As the ball dropped, hundreds of fans rushed the green as Els solemnly walked away.

“I had a chance on Saturday to close it out, but did not take it,” Els said. “It’s just one of those things. Maybe next time.”

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Jesper Parnevik, a runner-up five times on the PGA Tour, won for the first time, breaking away in the final six holes of the Phoenix Open.

Parnevik, from Sweden, had birdies on the 14th, 15th and 17th holes to win by three strokes with a 15-under-par 269. He shot a final-round 67.

Steve Pate, Tommy Armour III, Brent Geiberger and Tom Watson tied for second at 272.

Parnevik also shot 269 last year, but finished a distant second to Steve Jones, who set tournament records at 26 under and 258. It was the first of five runner-up spots for Parnevik, who also had a third and won $1,217,587 in 19 events without a victory.

Parnevik started the round tied with Scott Verplank at 11 under, with a two-shot lead.

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Raymond Floyd made an eight-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole at Kohala Coast, Hawaii, to win $80,000 of his two-day total of $300,000 and take his fifth consecutive Senior Skins title.

Floyd has earned $1,470,000 in six appearances at the Senior Skins.

Irwin finished second with $210,000. Arnold Palmer won $30,000 and Jack Nicklaus failed to collect any money, the first time he was blanked in eight appearances since the event was moved to the 7,005-yard Mauna Lani South Course.

With two holes to play, only $10,000 separated Floyd and Irwin.

Irwin had opportunities to move ahead at the 18th, but his bunker shot hit the pin and stopped a foot away and his 20-foot putt on the first extra hole lipped the cup.

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Helen Alfredsson shot a one-under-par 71 to finish at 11-under 277 and hold off Swedish compatriot Liselotte Neumann to win the LPGA’s Office Depot tournament at West Palm Beach, Fla.

Alfredsson finished two strokes ahead of Neumann, who closed with a 68.

Kelly Robbins and Michelle McGann, who lives in nearby Singer Island, each shot 67 and were among five players tied for third at 282.