Sunday, November 21, 1999
U.S. opens seven-shot lead over Spain
By PHIL BROWN
Associated Press Writer
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) - The chances of catching Tiger
Woods in the final round of the World Cup are as slim as him missing
a 2-foot putt.
Woods has won 12 times in a row in tournaments where he was
leading after 54 holes.
Leading by five shots at 15-under, Woods says he has gotten
accustomed to the World Cup course.
That's not good for Spain, which trails the U.S. team of Woods
and Mark O'Meara by seven shots going into Sunday's final 18 holes.
Although this is a team competition, there also is a $100,000
prize for the best individual score.
If Woods wins that, it would be his fifth triumph in his last
six tournaments, and ninth in 13.
"It makes me feel very proud that things I've worked on
have come to fruition," the world No. 1 said.
He expanded his lead by shooting a course record-tying 63 Saturday,
finishing with birdie-birdie-eagle-par, and was at 198.
"I'm starting to understand where to put my shots,"
he said.
His 63 combined with O'Meara's 67 brought the Americans from
one shot behind Spain to seven ahead - 23-under 403 to 410.
Spain's Miguel Angel Martin was unhappy after a round that
started with three consecutive birdies but ended at just one-under
70. Teammate Santiago Luna shot 68.
But Martin said the Spaniards still had a chance to win the
$400,000 World Cup.
"We're not going against Tiger - we're going against both,"
he said.
In the final round, O'Meara said, "Tiger will play well.
I've got to play well."
"It would be a great honor to win this championship. ...
" he added. "There is more pressure whenever you're
expected to do something."
O'Meara and Woods both have overcome slow starts, but O'Meara
took longer. Woods recovered from a 2-over front nine for an opening
round 67. O'Meara was 2-over for his entire first round.
But then he shot rounds of 65 and 67, leaving him in a four-way
tie with the two Spaniards and New Zealand's Frank Nobilo at 205
in the individual race. Wales' Phillip Price was second at 203.
The United States has won 21 of the 44 World Cups, but none
since Fred Couples and Davis Love III swept four in a row from
1992-95.
Argentina was third at 416, followed by Sweden at 417, Ireland
at 419, England at 420 and Wales at 421.
Woods' round, with three birdies on the front nine, three on
the back and the eagle at No. 17, tied the record set by India's
Vivek Bhendari in the 1998 Kuala Lumpur Open on the 6,807-yard,
par-71 Mines Resort and Golf Club course.
On the 523-yard, par-5 17th, he hit a 198-yard second shot
with a 6-iron, then sank an 18-foot curling, downhill putt.
"He can putt," Spain's Martin said. "Today he
played great - unbelievable. He can reach par-5's easily. Then
you have to make the putts, and he did."
Woods said that in Saturday's round, O'Meara, the 1998 Masters
and British Open winner, "played solid. He kept the momentum
going, not only for himself but for the team as well."
Thousands of spectators have followed Woods around the course,
and he said that "the galleries have been great. They have
continued to improve and learned from their mistakes," such
as allowing portable phones to ring. "They're starting to
police themselves."
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