Woods holds off Goosen charge

Despite bogeying the last, Tiger Woods held off a superb closing round of 10-under-par 62 from South Africa's Retief Goosen to win the WGC-American Express Championship by a shot Sunday.

The world number one, who began the day five strokes clear of the field, carded a last-day 66 to secure his sixth title of the year in calm but overcast conditions at the par-72 Mount Juliet course.

Woods, who dropped his only shot of the tournament at the 72nd hole when he missed a putt for par from 10 feet, also collected five birdies and an eagle-three at the 562-yard 10th to finish at 25-under 263.

It was the 30th time in 33 tournaments he had triumphed after leading -- or being tied for the lead -- going into the final day and it was his sixth victory in a World Golf Championship (WGC) event.

But he was run desperately close by world number five Goosen, who eagled the par-five 17th to close to within a stroke of the lead before parring the last to equal the course record set earlier in the day by Sergio Garcia.

Soon after Goosen's eagle on 17, Woods hit his tee shot at the same hole under a tree in the middle of the fairway.

But he managed to play out, reached the green with his third and coolly sank a 15-foot putt for his fifth birdie of the day.

Woods told Sky Sports TV: "We didn't hear a huge roar on 18 and I knew if I buried my putt (on 17), I'd have a two-shot lead."

The American added: "I absolutely had to play well today. It's kind of scary how low the guys went this week. The greens here are so pure."

But the world number one was disappointed with his dropped shot at the last, denying him his first bogey-free tournament.

"I really wanted to hole the putt at the last -- I just wanted to bury it," he said.

Twice major winner Vijay Singh of Fiji fired a closing 65 to finish in third at 21 under while Americans David Toms and Jerry Kelly both returned 66s to tie for fourth a further stroke back.

Spaniard Garcia, who held the early clubhouse lead with his record-breaking round of 62, had to settle for seventh at 18 under.

Garcia, 11 shots behind overnight leader Woods at the start of the day, reeled off eight birdies and an eagle-three. He gathered four birdies to reach the turn in 32 and then picked up six more shots in a second nine of only 30.

It was the lowest round of Garcia's career in relation to par but the score matched the nine-under 62 he carded at the Loch Lomond Invitational in 1999.

"I played very solid today, very consistent," he said.

"I'm a little disappointed after that great shot on 18 (where he hit his approach to 12 feet), I wasn't able to make that one for my career-low. But we tied at least.

"I'm happy with the way I played all week and that was probably the easiest 62 I've ever shot in my life."

On a day of generally low scoring, three players fired 64s to match the previous course record set by American Scott McCarron in the third round.

Phil Mickelson was the first, after holing out for eagle at the par-four 14th on his way to a 72-hole total of 11-under 277.

Sweden's Niclas Fasth matched Mickelson's effort to finish in a tie for 11th place at 15 under while New Zealander Michael Campbell produced the third 64 of the day to climb into a share of ninth at 16 under.

World number two Mickelson, who began the day 16 shots behind the pace-setting Woods, said: "I was hoping to play better and better through the week and that's how it turned out.

"I certainly had fun on the back nine and it's always fun when you see a shot from the fairway go in.

"Now I should be ready Friday (for the first day of the Ryder Cup at The Belfry)."

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