Tiger Woods Wins Players Championship

P O N T E  V E D R A  B E A C H, Fla., March 26 -- Forget the slump and bring on theMasters. Tiger Woods held off a late charge from Vijay Singh today to capture The Players Championship, his second straightvictory after early season doubts.

Woods lost a duel with Hal Sutton in a similar Monday finish ayear ago. This time, Woods didn't need much fight to finish onestroke ahead of Masters winner Singh to take one of the few golfprizes he didn't already own.

The victory "means my slump's over," said Woods, theunquestioned favorite at Augusta National in two weeks.

Thrilling Moments in Earlier Rounds

Woods had a 67 and was at 14-under 274 after a final-hole bogey.Singh had a 68. Bernhard Langer was two shots back after a 67.Little known Jerry Kelly had a 73 and was four off of Woods.

There wasn't much magic in Woods' round, certainly none to matchhis twisting 60-footer for birdie on No. 17's island green Saturdayor the 90-foot eagle chip on the second hole Sunday that first gavehim the lead. It didn't matter as each challenge faltered.

Woods, who won the U.S. Amateur here at 18 years old in 1994,was pressed a bit when Singh recovered from a triple bogey on the14th hole to go eagle-birdie on Nos. 16 and 17.

Related Stories

What witnesses said about Trump, classified docs

• Apr 24, 4:58 PM

SCOTUS hears Trump claim of 'absolute immunity'

• Apr 25, 10:02 AM

Man kills wife, 3 kids in mass shooting: Police

• Apr 23, 12:35 PM

But moments after Singh hit his 10-foot birdie putt on the 17th,Woods tapped in for birdie on the 16th hole — he barely lipped outa 50-foot eagle putt — to restore his lead to two shots.

Woods scared the crowd and himself at the island hole, flying a9-iron right of the flag that spun perilously close to the water.But like everything today, it settled into the rough and Woodsleft with par.

"I executed the shot just the way I wanted to, it slid a bitmore in the wind," Woods said.

On the 18th, where Woods was in the water Saturday, he droveinto the rough, chipped out and got down in two putts for thevictory and the $1,080,000 first prize.

Singh Chases Woods

Singh, a Ponte Vedra Beach resident who regularly practices atthe TPC at Sawgrass' Stadium Course, seemed to have the mostmotivation and the sharpest game to chase Woods down. Singh'sMasters victory was almost overlooked as Woods fashioned one of golf'smost amazing years with nine victories, including the U.S. Open,British Open and PGA Championship.