Monday, December 11, 2000
Woods and Duval give United
States title in World Cup of Golf
By KEVIN GRAY
Associated Press Writer
BELLA VISTA, Argentina (AP) — Tiger
Woods made it sound as though David Duval single-handedly won
the World Cup of Golf for the United States.
Woods did his part, too, with the most spectacular
shot of the day.
With host Argentina making a run while cheered
on by thousands of spectators, Woods sank a 40-foot birdie putt
at the 11th hole Sunday to give the U.S. team a cushion it wouldn't
relinquish en route to a three-shot victory and the $1 million
top prize.
“David played great all week, and he
really carried us,” Woods said. “I only made one putt.
Other than that, I didn't feel like I did much of anything.”
That putt was significant.
Woods and Duval entered the day with a three-stroke
lead over Argentina's Eduardo Romero and Angel Carbera. That had
been whittled to one shot when the Americans got to the par-3,
146-yard 11th hole.
Duval's tee shot, perhaps caught by heavy
winds, carried well left of the pin. Woods, playing next in the
alternate-shot format, calmly sank the slightly downhill putt
to build a two-stroke lead.
Argentina then bogeyed the 13th and 14th
holes and never challenged again.
“Other than that I didn't think I did
much of anything,” Woods said. “I thought we struck
the ball well today but I didn't putt so well. My partner over
here bailed me out time and time again. Thank goodness that he
was there because I didn't hit good putts — I either ran
wide or left them short.”
Woods and Duval combined to shoot a 4-under-par
68 Sunday, finishing at 34-under 254 for the tournament. It was
the 23rd U.S. title in 46 World Cups and the second in a row for
Woods, who teamed with Mark O'Meara last year.
While Woods struggled in the early rounds,
Duval kept the team in contention with his long drives and precision
putting.
They combined for six birdies in the final
round.
Twenty-four nations competed in the event,
which mixed alternate-shot and four-ball play. Players had to
deal with blustery winds, searing temperatures and threats of
rain.
The ninth hole, a par-5, 495-yarder, brought
a surprise bogey for Woods, who said he simply slipped: “I
took the club back on my left foot, I flinched. I hit it fat and
made it airborne.”
Romero eagled that hole for Argentina, sending
up the biggest roar of the day. The Argentines birdied 15 and
17, but it wasn't enough as the U.S. team birdied the 14th and
then closed with four straight pars.
Romero and Cabrera finished with 68 on the
day for a 257. Paraguay's Carlos Franco, a PGA Tour regular, joined
with Esteban Isasi to take third place after a final round 67
for a 265.
Japan's Shigeki Maruyama and Hidejmichi
Tanaka were fourth at 266, with Scotland's Paul Lawrie and Gary
Orr two strokes back.
Last year, Woods teamed with O'Meara to
win in Malaysia by five strokes over Spain. Woods also carried
the individual title last year by nine strokes with a 21-under
263, both tournament records. This year, the individual title
was eliminated.
The United States has dominated the tournament
over the past decade. Fred Couples and Davis Love III won four
straight titles between 1992 and 1995.
But the U.S. team didn't gain the upper
hand this week until Saturday's third round, which used the best-ball
format.
Asked if the pair would defend their title
next year in Japan, Duval said it would be up to Woods to decide.
“Unless he misses cuts for the next
two straight years, he's going to stay ranked No. 1. So it is
up to him to (pick) a partner,” Duval said.
Added Woods: “I would love to team
up with David, if everything works out. We'll see what happens.”
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