Golf fans were able to watch a rare duel Sunday between two of the favorite active players, Americans Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson.
Tiger Woods shot a six-under-par 66 Sunday to erase a two-stroke deficit and pass reigning Masters champion Phil Mickelson. Despite a steady three-under-par 69, Mickelson could not hold off the charging Woods at the Doral Resort's Blue Monster course. Woods finished with a four-day total of 24-under-par 264. The win puts Woods back into the world number one ranking, bumping Vijay Singh of Fiji into number two.
While he was pleased with his performance, Woods seemed more impressed with Mickelson's play. "It is satisfying, considering the way he has been played all year. And then the way he has played this week, the first three days, I mean 20-under par for three days, six and one-third under par a day - that is pretty impressive golf. I figured he has all the pressure on him. The way Phil made birdies on (holes) 13 and 14, back-to-back like that after I just made eagle, shows you what kind of player he is," he said.
The duel was the first time the two have played together in the final group on Sunday since the 2003 Buick Invitational, which Woods also won. Mickelson was hoping for a different outcome. "It was fun competing against Tiger head-to-head. I am a little upset at myself for not getting it done today because I felt like I was playing well enough to do that. Again, I enjoyed the competition. But I have to get back and work a little bit harder because I feel like I was playing well enough to have won today," he said.
The tournament featured 11 of the top 12 players in the world. But it came down to the two Americans. Mickelson had been ahead all week before Woods roared into second place on Saturday and challenged during the final round.
Swedish world number one golfer Annika Sorenstam rallied to win her first LPGA Tour event of the year at the inaugural MasterCard Classic near Mexico City.
Sorenstam fired a four-under-par 68 in windy conditions Sunday for a three-stroke victory. She had eight birdies, including five in a row, on the high-altitude Bosque Real Country Club course.
The Swedish star won her 57th LPGA Tour title by finishing at seven-under-par 209. Last year, she won eight tour events and two international titles. Australian Karrie Webb finished three shots back in second place. American Cristie Kerr and South Korean Hee-Won Han tied for third place, four shots off the pace.
The tournament was the first LPGA Tour event in Mexico since 1975.
