Els Finally Makes It Out of Woods

An eight-stroke lead suddenly became Ernie Els’ worst nightmare.

It was bad enough that the Big Easy was having a difficult time Sunday in the Genuity Championship at Miami. Worse yet, Els had to watch Tiger Woods in the group ahead put on a dazzling display of big drives and crucial putts, working the gallery into a frenzy.

“He has wiped out leads like that before,” Els said. “When he gets on a roll, it’s hard sometimes for him to hit a bad shot. It’s not a very comfortable feeling.”

At least this one had a happy ending.

A duel that Els never wanted turned into a victory he desperately needed on the Blue Monster at Doral when the 32-year-old South African withstood relentless pressure to win for the first time in 18 months on the PGA Tour.

“I’m very happy,” said Els, who closed with an even-par 72 for a two-stroke victory over Woods. “A half-hour ago, I was still very concerned about winning this tournament.”

The comeback was so swift and shocking that Woods had a 40-foot eagle putt for a share of the lead on the 12th hole. He settled for birdie, and he finally ran out of magic. He never made another birdie, although he had three chances inside 15 feet.

“I made him work for it,” Woods said.

Woods closed with a 66, playing the final 42 holes in blustery conditions without a bogey.

Els, who finished at 271 and earned $846,000, won for the first time on the PGA Tour since the International in 2000.

More importantly, he was finally staring down Woods, even though it was an occasion he could have done without. Els has finished runner-up to Woods six times--three more times than any other player.

There have been dramatic battles, such as Kapalua two years ago when they matched eagles on the 18th hole to get into a playoff, which Woods won with a 40-foot birdie putt. There have been blowouts, too, such as Woods winning the U.S. Open by 15 shots and the British Open by eight shots during his record-setting year in 2000.

But the one duel that came to mind Sunday was when Woods made up an eight-stroke deficit in the final round and beat Els in a playoff in the Johnnie Walker Classic at Thailand four years ago.

“This would have been a difficult one to swallow,” Els said.

He didn’t buckle this time. Els made a terrific par save from 50 feet off the 14th green, and his swing held up under the pressure of the final four holes, all of them two-putt pars.

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Karrie Webb won the women’s Australian Open at Melbourne, beating Norway’s Suzann Pettersen on the first playoff hole.

Webb and Pettersen, who were tied for first place after the third round, each shot a three-under 69 for the second consecutive day to finish tied at 10-under 278.

Webb clinched the title with a seven-foot birdie putt on the first extra hole.

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Alastair Forsyth of Scotland won his first professional title, defeating Stephen Leaney of Australia on the second playoff of the Malaysian Open at Kuala Lumpur.