Thursday, November
28, 2002
Woods wins record
fifth Grand Slam
By JAYMES SONG
AP Sports Writer
POIPU BEACH, Hawaii
(AP) - Tiger Woods continued his dominance at the PGA Grand Slam
of Golf, winning the tournament for the fifth straight time with
a tournament-record 11-under 61 Wednesday.
Woods finished with
at a record 17 under par to win by 14 strokes over Justin Leonard
and Davis Love III. Wednesday's score also broke the tournament
and course record at the 7,081-yard oceanside Poipu Bay Golf Course
on Kauai.
The 61 tied Woods'
personal best for an 18-hole tournament round.
Love shot 69, while
Leonard closed with a 72 in the 36-hole event for this year's
major champions. PGA champion Rich Beem finished last at 1-over
145 after a 73.
With Woods winning
two majors and British Open champion Ernie Els withdrawing from
the event, Love and Leonard gained invitations based on their
finishes in those majors.
In muggy conditions
with a light drizzle, Woods made it easy for himself by getting
off to a fast start for the second straight day and shooting another
bogey-free round.
He birdied six of
the first eight holes, putting the event out of reach for his
opponents. Woods made the turn at 30, with an eight-stroke lead
over Leonard. He pulled away on the back nine by birdying Nos.
12, 13, 15, 16 and 18. He also lipped a couple other birdie putts.
Even when he was
in a little trouble, like his approach shot on No. 2 that found
the right bunker, Woods found a way out. His shot out of the sand
landed within a foot for a birdie putt.
Woods, the PGA player
of the year and the tour's money leader, earned $400,000 of the
$1 million purse. Love and Leonard each received $225,000 and
Beem $150,000.
Leonard, who started
the day three strokes behind Woods, found himself six strokes
behind after three holes and never got back into contention for
the lead.
Leonard finished
fourth in the 1997 Grand Slam, the same year Woods made his first
Poipu appearance and finished second.
Love, who finished
third at Poipu in 1997 and second in 1999, played consistent until
double bogeying the course's signature 16th hole by hitting into
the hazard and taking a drop.
Beem, the only player
in the foursome making his first Grand Slam appearance, began
the day with two birdies but had a double bogey on the 152-yard
No. 7 when his 7-iron tee shot hit the rocks and went into the
water.
With the win, Woods
brought his 2002 total tour and unofficial earnings to $7,742,515.
It was his seventh victory this season in 21 events. He has five
wins on the PGA Tour.
Woods broke his own
the tournament mark of 12-under-132 set last year in his three-stroke
victory over David Toms. The 14-stroke win Wednesday was also
the widest margin of victory in the Grand Slam since 1982, when
Bill Rogers defeated David Graham by five strokes.
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