Tiger dominates Cink on way to third Match Play title

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Tiger Woods - WGC TrophyMARANA, Ariz. (AP) — Tiger Woods still rules the world of golf, perhaps now more than ever.

With a record-breaking victory in the Accenture Match Play Championship, Woods won his fifth straight tournament and captured his 15th World Golf Championship, holding all three world titles for the first time.

Golf is not a fair fight at the moment.

Stewart Cink found that out at Dove Mountain, where Woods overwhelmed him with 14 birdies in 29 holes for an 8-and-7 victory, the largest margin in the 10-year history of this tournament.

But he was only the latest victim in a winning streak that dates to the first week of September.

Woods has won four straight times on the PGA Tour, the third time he has had a winning streak that long. It was his fifth straight victory worldwide, including his stunning comeback in Dubai three weeks ago.

Tiger Woods - Photo by Golf GraphicsThe world’s No. 1 player began this season talking about the Grand Slam.

The first stop was a Triple Crown of the WGCs, completing a sweep that included an 8-shot victory in the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone and a two-shot victory in the CA Championship at Doral.

Turns out the hardest part was getting to the 36-hole final.

Woods rallied from three down with five holes to play in the opening round against J.B. Holmes. He twice watched Aaron Baddeley putt from inside 12 feet to win a third-round match. And he was stretched to 18 holes in the semifinals against defending champion Henrik Stenson.

But the final was no contest.

He built a 4-up lead after the morning round, and Cink never got any closer.

Woods won for the 63rd time on the PGA Tour, moving past Arnold Palmer into fourth place on the PGA Tour’s career list, and leaving him one behind Ben Hogan.

Tiger Woods - Photo by Golf Graphics“Just to be mentioned in the same breath as Arnold Palmer and Ben Hogan, you know you’ve had a pretty good career,” he said.

Tiger Woods wins the finals of the Match Play Championship Sunday with an 8-and-7 victory, prompting opponet Stewart Cink to say, “we ought to slice him open to see what’s inside.” The win is
Tiger’s fifth straight.

Stewart Cink barely put up a fight Sunday in the Accenture Match Play Championship, where Woods broke a scoring record for the fourth straight tournament, collected his fifth straight victory worldwide and didn’t so much as crack a smile when someone asked him if a perfect season was within reach.

“That’s my intent,” he said. “That’s why you play. It you don’t believe you can win an event, don’t show up.”

Relentless as ever, Woods made 14 birdies in 29 holes in the high desert of Dove Mountain to overwhelm Stewart Cink for an 8-and-7 victory, the largest margin in the final match in the 10-year history of his fickle event.

Woods captured his 15th World Golf Championship, holding all three world title for the first time.

And his 63rd career victory moved him past Arnold Palmer and into fourth place alone on the PGA Tour’s career list. His next victory will tie him with Ben Hogan.

“I think maybe we ought to slice him open to see what’s inside,” Cink said. “Maybe nuts and bolts.”

Cink was only the latest victim in a winning streak that dates to Sept. 3, 2007,

Woods won the BMW Championship the following week at 262, breaking the tournament scoring record by five shots. He won the Tour Championship by a record eight shots, and the Buick Invitational by the same margin, another tournament record.

This is the third time Woods has won at least four straight PGA Tour events. He also won in Dubai three weeks ago on the European tour by coming back from a four-shot deficit.

“I think this is the best stretch I’ve ever played,” Woods said.

He has won six of his last seven PGA Tour events, 16 of his last 30 over the last two years.

The confidence in his game is so high that Woods started this season by saying the Grand Slam was “easily within reason.” For now, he has a Triple Crown of the World Golf Championships, a sweep that included an eight-shot victory in the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone and a two-shot victory in the CA Championship at Doral.

Woods’ tour winning streak was at seven last year when Nick O’Hern beat him in the third round of the Match Play. Given the fickle nature of this format, even Woods said it was the toughest tournament to win this side of a major.

Turns out the hard part was just getting to the final match.

Copyright 2008 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

1 thought on “Tiger dominates Cink on way to third Match Play title

  1. I will agree that Nike has too much invested in Tiger to back away. His eirrotdxnary success far exceeds this moment of failure. I still question the effectiveness of the ad, but in a few weeks or less it will be forgoteen. As a parent, do we cherish the look on our child’s face when they are being disciplined or when they are beeming with joy. The true measure of rebuilding the brand for Nike & Tiger is his ability to produce. If he doesnt slay the dragon off the course it will eventually show on the course. Obviously Nike has a back up plan should Tiger go the way of John Daly. Next question about rebuilding the icon. Rebuilding the image of Toyota, GM, the financial giants. Advertising & marketing will obviously be huge, but regaining trust still has to begin with fixing the product. Audi, Ford, & Chrysler walked that path 30 years ago.

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