Date: March 26, 2007
Author:

Allenby’s late charge

Tiger Woods notched up win number 77 of his professional career even with a real mixed bag of a final round at Miami&aposs CA Championships, while Robert Allenby came home with a wet sail to finish tied for third with another Aussie in Geoff Ogilvy and the controversial Sergio Garcia. In his final competitive tune up before the US Masters, Woods, who started the round four ahead, had a closing one over par 73 to clinch victory for the third successive year and sixth time in eight attempts. He was out in 35 with three birdies and two bogeys and six clear after he became the only player all day to find the green in two at the par-five 10th. That two-putt birdie was followed by another three-putt bogey, however, and he dropped another shot on the 13th. Playing partner Wetterich (71), who finished second, shot himself in the foot by having bogey sixes at both the first and 12th, but when he birdied the 15th and 16th he did bring the gap down to three. Allenby, meanwhile, carded 67, the round&aposs lowest score, with the Australian setting up his third place through four birdies in the first nine holes, while compatriot Geoff Ogilvy (70) had a mixed day with three bogeys in the first nine countered by three birdies on the back nine. Spaniard Garcia (70) put a spitting controversy behind him to also come third alongside Allenby and Ogilvy, while Aaron Baddeley (72) and Nick O&aposHern (73) finished the tournament tied for sixth in a good warm up for the masters. Further back Rod Pampling&aposs disastrous final round 78 saw him end at three over after being second to Woods following day two, while Stuart Appleby&aposs (71) consistent final three rounds saw him finish tied for 35th. Final Results of the CA Champion ship – Round 4 -10: Tiger Woods 71 66 68 73 -8: Brett Wetterich 72 70 67 71 -6: Robert Allenby (Australia) 67 74 74 67, Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 72 69 71 70, Sergio Garcia 71 70 71 70 -5: Niclas Fasth 72 70 70 71, Aaron Baddeley (Australia) 69 71 71 72, Nick O&aposHern (Australia) 72 72 66 73 -4: Zach Johnson 72 68 73 71, Paul Casey 76 70 66 72 Also: 3: Rod Pampling (Australia) 70 69 74 78 5: Stuart Appleby (Australia) 79 72 71 71 9: Nathan Green (Australia) 72 71 76 78 11: Adam Scott (Australia) 76 71 72 80