Anthony Kim challenged him early, Hunter Mahan challenged him late, but neither could stop host Tiger Woods from winning the third annual AT&T National on Sunday at hot and overcast Congressional Country Club. He closed with a 3-under-par 67 to finish with a tournament-record 13-under-par total of 267, one better than Mahan, who matched the course record set earlier in the week by Kim with a 62.
It marked the third PGA Tour victory of the year for the 33-year-old Woods, who now has 68 overall in 245 starts (27.75 percent). Per custom, he donated his $1.08 million first-place check to the Tiger Woods Foundation.
It was a sweet win for Woods, who spent the early part of the week in meetings and sponsor functions, did a youth clinic, hit a tee shot at the opening ceremonies and visited wounded soldiers at Walter Reed Army Medical Hospital, something that would have made his late father, Earl, proud. Members of the military and children under 12 were admitted free to the tournament.
"This is a dream that we had of having an event where we could spread the word of what we're trying to do for kids as well as honor the military," said Woods, who missed last year's tournament while recovering from reconstructive knee surgery. "It's come together in three years. It's just been incredible."
By winning his 25th different PGA Tour event, Woods closed within five victories of Jack Nicklaus (73) on the all-time list. Sam Snead leads the way at 82.
"It was a long week, but I got the W," Woods said. "I just felt that today, starting out with looking at the pin locations, that if I shot something under par, it would be good enough, but it wouldn't have been. What Hunter did today was pretty impressive. I certainly didn't see that score out there. He went out there and put so much pressure on AK and I."
As Woods was warming up on the driving range, he received word that good friend Roger Federer had won a record 15th major title at Wimbledon. Woods text-messaged him to offer his congratulations.
What did he text?
"Great job," said Woods. "Now it's my turn. Not by 15; I meant to win today."
Woods and Kim, the defending champion, began the last round tied at 10-under. Playing together for the first time, the duo drew an enormous, enthusiastic gallery that often lined up several deep on both sides of the fairway.
On the par-4 first hole, Woods drove into the right rough but hit a nice approach shot 15 feet behind the pin. He missed his birdie attempt, and Kim converted from short range to take a one-shot lead at 11-under.
Playing in businesslike fashion, Woods followed with four consecutive pars, making a nice up-and-down from behind the green at the par-4 fourth. He regained a share of the lead when Kim bogeyed the fifth hole, then took sole possession by holing a 14-foot birdie putt at the par-4 sixth.
Woods increased his advantage to two shots at the short par-3 seventh, where he spun an 8-iron five feet from the cup and converted the birdie putt. He almost made it three straight at the par-4 eighth, lipping out from eight feet.
At the par-5 ninth, Woods laid up short of the green in two, then two-putted for a par from 15 feet. Meanwhile, the hard-charging Mahan, playing 90 minutes ahead, crept within a stroke.
After a mediocre tee shot at the par-3 10th, Woods curled in a 31-foot birdie putt to reclaim a two-shot cushion over Mahan. However, it didn't last long.
The par-4 11th hole, the most difficult on the course, had given Woods trouble all week long. He bogeyed it the first two rounds and double-bogeyed it Saturday. On Sunday, Woods drove into the hazard on the right, costing him a stroke, took a drop and did well to escape with a bogey, sinking a five-foot putt.
"Takes a lot of talent to make five or worse four different ways," cracked Woods. "The funny thing is I didn't feel bad over any tee shot."
As that was happening, Mahan finished birdie-birdie to secure a share of the lead at 12-under. Woods knew he would have to play the last seven holes in at least 1-under to win outright, plus hold off Kim.
Then Woods buckled down. He hit a poor sand wedge to the par-4 12th, finding the left, greenside bunker. But he recovered with a beautiful explosion shot to within a foot of the hole to save par.
At the 191-yard par-3 13th, Woods missed the green right and wound up in thick grass. His second shot came up six feet short of the hole, but he poured it in for his fourth one-putt in a row.
Woods gave himself a good birdie chance at the par-4 14th, but missed from 10 feet. He made a nice two-putt from 25 feet at the par-4 15th, then came to the par-5 16th -- a hole he had birdied the previous three rounds -- looking for another.
Although Woods drove into the left rough, he drew a good lie and hit a 3-wood from 264 yards, wisely missing to the wide side of the green in the right rough. This time, Woods drew a thick lie and left his third shot 20 feet short of the hole. After backing off due to a distraction from a photographer, Woods refocused and buried the putt to retake the lead.
"I wanted to give myself an angle at that flag," he said.
"But bad pitch. Just simple. It wasn't that hard. Just straight up the hill.
"[The putt] was just a cup and half outside left, and just had to make sure I got it up the hill. I figured if it was that slow on the pitch, then it would probably be slow on the putt."
Woods had hoped to overtake Mahan before 16.
"Once I was tied for the lead after 12, I was hoping I could get one before I got to 16, and then 16 would be my cush," said Woods. "That didn't happen, and I put myself in a spot where I had to make a 20-footer to even give myself a lead. If I didn't make that putt, then the last two holes, you can make bogey and lose the golf tournament."
Needing two pars to clinch the victory, Woods once again showed why he is the best closer in the game -- now 46-3 in PGA Tour events, a staggering 94 percent, when tied or leading after 54 holes. He nailed a 3-wood down the middle at the par-4 17th, then knocked a 7-iron 25 feet and two-putted.
At the dangerous par-4 18th, he flushed another 3-wood in the fairway and hit a clutch 9-iron 17 feet right of the hole, easily two-putting to cap the win.
"Tiger obviously wins for a reason," said Kim. "He makes the putts when he needs to."
Why has Woods been so successful closing out tournaments?
"Well, I'm 6-foot-5, 250, you know," he smiled. "Just go about your business. The great thing about golf is you just play your own game. You can't physically intimidate anybody."
For the week, Woods finished tied for third in greens in regulation at 76 percent; fourth in driving distance at 312; tied for seventh in driving accuracy at 73 percent; and tied for 13th in putting. More importantly, he used only 27 putts Sunday, matching his low total of the tournament.
Next year, the tournament moves to Aronimink Golf Club just outside Philadelphia for a two-year run while Congressional prepares to host the 2011 U.S. Open.
Woods has now posted 18 straight top-10 finishes in stroke-play events. He returns to competition July 16, when he plays in The Open Championship (formerly The British Open) at Turnberry, Scotland.
"Hopefully, I can play like I did this week and continue to build next week," Woods said. "Our practice sessions, [swing coach] Hank [Haney] is coming down to Florida. Hopefully, we'll do some good work and continue to build on what we're doing right now."
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