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Woods One-Ups the Field

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From Times Staff and Wire Reports

Tiger Woods played his best golf when he finally got some competition Sunday at Doral, then played his worst when it no longer mattered.

Despite a bogey-bogey finish on the Blue Monster, Woods closed with a three-under-par 69 for a one-shot victory over David Toms and Colombian rookie Camilo Villegas in the Ford Championship at Miami, his second victory of the year and the 13th time he has successfully defended a title.

Woods finished at 20-under 268 and never lost his lead on a breezy afternoon, and after Toms closed to within one shot with two consecutive birdies on the back nine, Woods found another gear. He holed a 12-foot birdie on the 11th, then became the only player to reach the 603-yard 12th in two shots for a birdie to restore his lead to three shots.

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Toms made it easier for him at the end.

Woods, who hit a wedge over the 17th green to make his first bogey of the final round, was in the right rough on the daunting 18th hole, leading by one shot. He watched Toms run a 60-foot birdie putt about 10 feet past the hole, then miss the par putt for his first three-putt of the week.

Woods needed only a bogey, and it showed. He hit his approach well right into a bunker, blasted out to 12 feet and two-putted for a bogey.

It was the 48th PGA Tour victory for Woods.

MOTOR SPORTS

Hamlin Avoids Traffic for Busch Win in Mexico

Denny Hamlin pitted early, then stayed out of trouble to hold on and win the second NASCAR Busch Series race in Mexico City.

It was the first career Busch win in 39 starts for the 25-year-old Hamlin, who started second and pitted during the first caution, then outdueled pole-sitter and road course ace Boris Said by 1.53 seconds in the Telcel-Motorola 200.

Said planned to pit late and his No. 9 Dodge was the last car in the field to leave the track, finally pulling off during a caution on Lap 25. He changed four tires and was out in 17.5 seconds, but was held to the back because of heavy traffic on the track.

Kevin Harvick, who finished second in Mexico City last year at the first Busch Series race outside the United States, appealed a late penalty for improper passing and was able to regain the third position.

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WINTER SPORTS

Hedrick Beats Davis, Wins World Cup Title

Chad Hedrick edged U.S. teammate Shani Davis to win a 1,500-meter speedskating race and earn the World Cup title in the event in Heerenveen, Netherlands.

Hedrick won in 1 minute 45.48 seconds. He was followed in the World Cup title race by Denny Morrison of Canada and Enrico Fabris of Italy. Davis, who finished second in 1:46.11, was fourth in the rankings.

Lee Kang-seok of South Korea won a World Cup title ahead of Joey Cheek of the U.S. after taking first place in the 500. Lee finished in 34.98 seconds to beat Cheek and Dmitri Dorofejev of Russia in the overall standings.

Ireen Wust of the Netherlands won the women’s 1,500, finishing in 1:55.58 -- nine seconds ahead of Anni Friesinger of Germany. Cindy Klassen of Canada took third in 1:55.76. Klassen and Wust trail Friesinger, the overall title winner.

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Olympic gold medalist Ted Ligety overcame strong wind at Pyeongchang, South Korea to win a giant slalom for his first World Cup victory, a day after he overslept and missed a race.

Ligety had a two-run time of 2:18.54. Fredrik Nyberg of Sweden and Kalle Palander of Finland shared second, 0.03 seconds behind.

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Maria Jose Rienda Contreras of Spain won a World Cup giant slalom in Hafjell, Norway, with an impressive second run, preventing Anja Paerson of Sweden from clinching the season title in the event.

Nicole Hosp of Austria, winner of one giant slalom this season, finished second, 0.25 behind. Olympic silver medalist Tanja Poutiainen of Finland, who led by nearly half a second after the first run, dropped to third, 0.52 behind.

MISCELLANY

Orlando Hammers the Avengers, 59-34

The Orlando Predators had a season-high 84 yards rushing and five touchdowns in a 59-34 victory over the Avengers in Florida. Sonny Cumbie completed 24 of 43 passes for 295 yards and four touchdowns for the Avengers (1-5).

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Arizona guard Hassan Adams was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence of alcohol early Sunday morning. Tucson police arrested Adams after pulling him over for speeding.

Police said they noticed signs and symptoms of intoxication and gave Adams a breathalyzer test. His blood-alcohol level was 0.124 the first time and 0.121 the second, said Sgt. Decio Hopffer, a spokesman for the police department. The legal limit in Arizona is .08.

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Dog teams whisked past hundreds of spectators on a frozen lake before climbing a small hill and disappearing into the woods at the official start of the Iditarod in Willow, Alaska.

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Stanford won a gymnastics tri-meet at Pauley Pavilion with a score of 195.95, beating UCLA’s 195.15. San Jose State placed third with a 193.225. UCLA’s Kristina Comforte won the all-around with a career-best 39.525.

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