Tiger Woods conjured up a stroke of genius to capture his second Deutsche Bank-SAP Open TPC of Europe at St.Leon-Rot. The World Number One holed a 175 yards seven iron for an eagle two at the 13th in the final round to win his second title on The 2001 European Tour International Schedule by four strokes from Michael Campbell.
Woods regained the title he won in 1999, and his 35th worldwide, with a 22 under par total of 266 after firing a closing round of 66. Campbell, the leader for the first two rounds, closed with a 70 for 270 and his runner-up cheque of 300,000 euro (£185,349) lifted him above long-time leader Pierre Fulke at the top of the Volvo Order of Merit with 686,876 euro (£424,375).
Australian Peter O’Malley (69) and Soren Kjeldsen (65) tied for third a stroke further behind with Padraig Harrington of Ireland, Sweden’s Mikael Lundberg and Andrew Coltart of Scotland sharing fifth place.
However the weekend belonged to Woods. The 25 year old Masters champion had been locked in combat with Campbell for most of an absorbing last day but, after deciding to change club on the 13th at the last second, Woods broke the tie with a typically extravagant gesture, the ball disappearing below ground on the full.
It was a crushing blow to Campbell, who had led by five strokes after the rain-interrupted first round with a ten under par 62 and by six at halfway following a 65. His 17 under par total equalled The European Tour record for the first two rounds.
At that stage Woods, with rounds of 69 and 68 and ten shots behind the Kiwi, cut loose. A nine under par 63 on Saturday coincided with Campbell spilling four shots in the last six holes, and the picture had changed dramatically.
Argentina’s Eduardo Romero, with a 66, was now in front on 199, 17 under par, with Woods and Campbell (73) one stroke adrift on 200. The popular Cordoban, nicknamed ‘El Gato’ was moved to point out: “Maybe the Cat will beat the Tiger. You never know.”
However it was not to be. Romero, recovering from severe injuries after being bitten by his pet dog, drove into water at the first and was not a real threat thereafter.
It was left to Campbell, winner of the Heineken Classic earlier this season, to fight it out with the man who claimed the 2001 Johnnie Walker Classic in Thailand. Until that remarkable stroke at the 13th, the issue was very much in the balance.
Woods landed the first blow when he holed from ten feet at the first for an eagle three – one of five eagles during the week which contributed enormously to his fifth victory of the season following the Johnnie Walker Classic, the Bay Hill International, The Players Championship and the Masters Tournament.
Suddenly, due to Romero’s bogey, the first player to hold all four Major Championships at the same time was in front. But not for long. Campbell, with birdies at the third and fourth, pulled ahead once more.
However, the New Zealander misjudged a fairway bunker shot at the seventh, landed in water and ran up a double bogey. Woods was back in front but only briefly as he bogeyed the eighth and Campbell birdied. The two thoroughbreds moved into the home strait delivering golf worthy of their pedigree.
Campbell three putted the tenth to level the contest on 17 under par. Both then birdied the long 11th and matched each other’s birdies at the 12th. A play-off appeared a distinct possibility – until Woods delved deep into his vast repertoire of shots and pulled off that glorious, and ultimately decisive, stroke.
Woods acknowledged that the shot was significant. He said: “I had a six iron in my hand and the wind was coming into me. All of a sudden there was no wind so I changed to a seven iron. It was looking pretty good and all of a sudden it disappeared and for a split second I didn’t know whether it was over the green or in the hole. Then the crowd went nuts and I knew.”
The six-times Major Champion, using a driver borrowed from Adam Scott after his snapped on the range on Saturday night, added: “I knew I had to shoot something in the mid-sixties on Saturday to have a chance. Michael could have blown us all away but he struggled and I played well. It was a key day.”
Campbell was philosophical, saying: “I was doing fine then suddenly he turned things around. That’s the sign of a good player. He finds extra gears and he did that by holing the seven iron. I thought he’d flown the green until I heard the roars and all the commotion.
“It was a great shot by a great player. I can’t control what others do and that one shot turned things around.”
Romero, the third member of that group, added: “Tiger’s shot at the 13th was unbelievable. That was the shot which won the tournament. It’s the sign of a true champion when you can pull out a shot like that.”
Kjeldsen, meanwhile, accumulated six birdies on a back nine of 30 to post a score of 65. His 17 under par total of 271 was enough to guarantee third place with O’Malley on 271.
Sweden’s rising star, Henrik Stenson, turned in another strong performance, sharing eighth place on 274, 14 under par, while another Challenge Tour Graduate, Mikael Lundberg produced a final round 66 to take a share of 5th place.
