For the Record, Woods Wins Western Open

Tiger Woods cruised to victory Sunday in the 100th Western Open, the 38th victory of his PGA Tour career and fourth this season.

It marks his fifth consecutive year with at least four victories, a feat no one else has managed.

And this is a guy who some say is in a slump?

Ben Hogan, Arnold Palmer, Tom Watson and Lloyd Mangrum had four years in a row with four victories or more.

The victory also made Woods the fifth three-time winner at the Western, the oldest stop on the tour. Hogan, Jack Nicklaus and Palmer each won the Western twice.

The gaudy numbers don’t stop there. Woods shot a three-under-par 69, giving him a 21-under 267 for the tournament. That matches the tournament record set by Scott Hoch in 2001.

Woods missed an 11-foot putt on the 18th that would have given him the record on his own. The crowd cheered when he putted out, but he still looked a little subdued.

Woods led the entire tournament, the first wire-to-wire winner at the Western since Nick Price in 1993. It’s the fifth wire-to-wire victory in Woods’ career.

He finished five strokes ahead of Rich Beem, the 13th time he has won by four strokes or better.

But give Beem credit for at least adding a small diversion to the inevitable.

The winner of last year’s PGA Championship started the back nine with three birdies and an eagle in his first five holes to pull to within five shots of Woods.

Beem couldn’t take advantage, though, ending whatever slim chances he might have had of catching Woods.

U.S. Open winner Jim Furyk finished seven shots behind Woods in a three-way tie for third. Mike Weir and defending champion Jerry Kelly also finished at 274.

But, really, what chance did anyone have of catching Woods? This victory was almost a certainty even before he teed off. Of the 31 tournaments he has led after 54 holes, he has won all but two.

And with a six-stroke cushion to start, all he had to do was play it safe, and the victory -- not to mention the $810,000 paycheck -- was his.

Cliff Kresge also had a big weekend. He was paired with Woods for the first time and played in the final group the last two days.

He also earned a trip to the British Open.

In addition to a check for $150,750, Kresge’s finish at the Western got him one of the seven coveted exemptions from a special British Open money list.

The others who qualified via the special money list were Jonathan Kaye, Rory Sabbatini, Duffy Waldorf, Joey Sindelar, Joe Durant and J.L. Lewis.

Eight players qualified through their finishes at the Western: Dudley Hart, Scott McCarron, Skip Kendall, Ben Curtis, Luke Donald, Jose Coceres, Chris Smith and Tom Byrum.

The British Open is July 17-20 at Royal St. George’s in England.

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A Western Classic

Tiger Woods won for the 38th time and became the fifth three-time winner at the 100th Western Open, the oldest stop on the PGA Tour. A look at the Western Open three-time winners:

*--* * TIGER WOODS: 1997, 1999, 2003 * BILLY CASPER: 1965, 1966, 1969, 1973 * RALPH GULDAHL: 1936, 1937, 1938 * WALTER HAGEN: 1916, 1921, 1926, 1927, 1932 * WILLIE ANDERSON: 1902, 1904, 1908, 1909

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