Tiger Woods has stormed home to win the AT&T National at Congressional by two strokes today (June 2).
A back nine dual with early tournament leader Bo Van Pelt saw both men fighting for the lead, but Van Pelt fell apart with consecutive bogeys on the last three holes to hand Tiger the victory.
"We grinded, we competed, and it was just a matter of making the key putt or a key up-and-down and not making too many mistakes," Tiger told reporters after the tournament.
"I figured it was going to come down to probably the last five or six holes and it ended coming down to, what, the last three holes where the tournament swung."
While other players struggled to hold their form Tiger was a mark of consistency, making only five bogeys throughout the whole four days of the event, with three of those coming in round one.
A remarkable moment on the 12th summed up Tiger's day. Stuck in the rough and still more than 180 yards from the flag, Tiger bent his nine iron around a tree trunk in a significant display of commitment. The shot ended up on the green and resulted in par.
Meanwhile it was a case of what could have been for Australian Adam Scott, who struck five birdies in six holes across the front nine. A final round 67 saw him finish at five under for the tournament, enough for third place, but the 31-year-old will be ruing a first day 75 which cost him a better result.
"The story of my year," said Scott. "I need to try and play well for four days."
Jason Day finished off a tidy tournament with a one under round of 70, for an overall three under and a share of eighth place alongside Hunter Mahan, who proved unable to capitalise on his strong second day.
Other successful Aussies included Greg Chalmers, who tied for 17th, and Rod Pampling who placed 22nd.
Travelers Championship winner Marc Leishman will be less pleased with the result, his tournament completely falling apart with seven bogeys as well as a double bogey on the par three seventh hole.
The result marks Tiger's third victory this season, after the Memorial Tournament in June and the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March. He now usurps Jason Duffner's place at the top of the FedEx Cup rankings.
It also takes him to 74 total career PGA Tour victories, moving the 36-year-old ahead of Jack Nicklaus and into second on the all-time list, still eight wins behind the late Sam Snead.
