| Tiger
beats Monty in playoff The
United States gained a psychological edge over Europe ahead of September’s
Ryder Cup, after Tiger Woods beat Colin Montgomerie in a sudden death play-off
to take the Deutsche Bank/SAP Open for the third time in his career. Woods
clinched victory on the third extra-play-off hole, after his Scottish counterpart
had found the water with his second shot. The
Ryder Cup rivals were forced into the head-to-head after both had finished the
final round on 20 under par, Woods carding a closing 68 while Montgomerie managed
a 69. Montgomerie
can still take heart from an otherwise gutsy display, having undergone extensive
back treatment on Monday morning following a sleepless night. Monty
looked in control from the off, birdying the first and second as Woods to match
him. But defending
champions Woods, three shots adrift at one stage, soon roared back with an eagle
on the third to reduce the deficit after Montgomerie had managed birdie. Woods
then took a step closer to catching his counterpart, as Montgomerie bogeyed the
fifth. A 10-foot
putt on the 10th then allowed Woods to complete the comeback, as he holed out
for birdie. Birdies
for Montgomerie and Woods on the 12th saw them surge ahead of the rest of the
field, though Justin Rose managed a late fightback. With
the two leaders tied on 20 under after 18, the play-off beckoned. The situation
always favoured the world number one, given his superb record in such circumstances. But
Monty held his nerve on the first extra hole, boxing a testing three-footer after
Woods had missed out on birdie. After
the pair had pared the second, Woods wrapped up victory with a par on the 18th,
the third play-off hole, after Montgomerie had found the water. Rose's
closing 67 enabled him to finish on 19 under, one shot away from Montgomerie and
Woods. Greg Owen completed a good showing this week with a 67, to take him to
17 under. Elsewhere,
Adam Scott managed a hone-in-one on the 13th, canning a 185-yard six iron to claim
his first ace on the European Tour.
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