Monday, November 22, 1999
Woods leads U.S. team to victory
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Tiger Woods might as well
have been playing alone.
The United States won the 32-team World Cup on Sunday, with
Woods producing the best score in the tournament’s history
and taking individual honors by a record nine strokes.
His overpowering performance allowed the United States to erase
Spain’s lead over the last nine holes, ensuring that the
cup would return to the United States.
Woods shot a 6-under-par 65, more than offsetting a 77 by partner
Mark O’Meara. He finished at 21-under 263 and O’Meara
had 282 for a five-shot victory over Spain, 545 to 550.
“Tiger rose to the occasion,” O’Meara said.
“He met the challenge.”
This was the fifth time in six tournaments and ninth in 13
that Woods had come out on top. It also marked his 13th victory
in a row in tournaments in which he led after 54 holes.
With his share of $200,000 from the team prize plus the individual
award of $100,000, Woods increased his earnings for this season
to $7.28 million.
The United States has won 22 of the 45 World Cups. But it had
not won since Couples and Davis Love III swept four in a row from
1992 through 1995.
Backed by Woods’ course-record 63, the Americans took
a seven-shot lead over Spain on Saturday. But the Spaniards still
had a chance.
The team Miguel Angel Martin and Santiago Luna made the turn
Sunday one shot ahead. The United States was hurt by O’Meara’s
front nine of 4 over.
Then Woods birdied the first four holes on the back nine while
Luna followed a double-bogey on the 10th with bogeys on the next
two holes. The Americans led by five.
Woods’ 263 total beat the 265 set by Fred Couples in the
1994 World Cup, although Couples was 23 under on the par-72 Dorado
Beach course in Puerto Rico.
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