Written by Rich Swerbinsky

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Holds Off Toms, Villegas For 48th Career Win

Despite stumbling to the finish line, golf’s best closer slammed the door on yet another title.  Tiger Woods never lost his lead on Sunday afternoon, shooting a closing round 69 to win for the second straight year at the Ford Championship at Doral.

The win was Woods third on the year despite he fact the season is barely two months old.  Woods has won twice on the PGA Tour, and also won overseas at the Dubai Desert Classic.  Woods has won four of his last six starts, and is now #1 in the world by a large margin over #2 Vijay Singh.

On this Sunday, Woods had a comfortable lead for most of the day.  That lead evaporated when David Toms made a back nine rally to get to 20 under par.  Toms approached the 18th tee, where he had struggled all week, a stroke behind Woods, who had just bogeyed 17.  

Toms drive on 18 went in the right rough, but he managed to find the very front left portion of the green with his approach.  Now aware of the situation in front of him, and with Woods behind him watching from the right rough he just hit from, Toms three putted from about 50 feet to bogey the hole and fall to 19 under.  It was the first three putt for Toms all day, and Tiger needed only to bogey 18 to win, which he went on to do.  His approach found the sand on 18.  He then blasted out and two putted from 10 feet for the victory, the 48th of his career despite the fact he just turned 30.

Colombian sensation Camilio Villegas birdied two of the last five holes to shoot a final round 67, and tie Toms for 2nd place at 19 under par.  The 24-year old Villegas continues to draw large galleries, and is taking the Tour by storm in this, his rookie season.  Villegas donned a orange belt and orange shoes, not surprising given his prolific college career at the University of Florida.  The Nationwide Tour grad has earned over $700,000 already on the young season.

The dream rematch of last years duel between Tiger and Phil Mickelson never materialized.  Phil went in the water on both the 8th and 9th holes and stumbled along to a final round 73.