Tiger wins Bridgestone for 16th win in WGC events

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AKRON, Ohio (AP)—The W in WGC doesn’t stand for Woods. It just seems that way.

Tiger Woods sailed a cloud-touching 8-iron to within a foot of the cup on No. 16 while leader Padraig Harrington was imploding with a triple-bogey, ending all the drama Sunday in yet another World Golf Championship win for Woods at the Bridgestone Invitational.

“When I hit it I knew it was going to be a good one,” Woods said after his 70th career win in his 248th career start, a .299 winning percentage. “I thought it was going to be just a little bit past the hole. I was surprised it spun that much, considering it was that much downwind. But it came back and ended up a kick-in.”

The victory was the 16th in 30 WGC events for the world’s No. 1 player, including six times in the CA Championship, three times at the Accenture Match Play and a record seven times at Firestone Country Club in the Bridgestone and its forerunner, the NEC Invitational.

Only Sam Snead has more victories in a single tournament, with eight wins in Greensboro, N.C. But Snead achieved that on different courses. No one has ever dominated on a single course like this.

“Certain golf courses you just feel comfortable,” Woods said. “You see the tee shots, you see the approach shots, and the greens seem to be easier to read than others. This golf course is one of those for me. I think my results kind of show that.”

He has won the last four times he’s played at Firestone, winning three in a row before sitting out a year ago while he was recuperating from knee surgery. He also won three in a row from 1999-2001.

His closing 5-under 65 left him at 12-under 268, four shots better than Harrington and Robert Allenby.

Woods has won at least one WGC event in each of the last 11 years and altogether has pocketed $21.8 million in his WGC starts alone. That’s more than Tom Watson, Fuzzy Zoeller and Raymond Floyd combined—in all the PGA Tour wins for their careers.

The victory was his fifth in a year that many—possibly even Woods—will consider disappointing if he doesn’t also capture the year’s final major championship, the PGA Championship this week at Hazeltine in Chaska, Minn.

“It’s going to be a quick turnaround,” Woods said. “I’ll be out there tomorrow. I’ll celebrate quickly.”

After taking a three-shot lead over Woods through 54 holes, Harrington said he looked forward to squaring off mano-a-mano with Woods in the final round.

But that advantage had evaporated within four holes. Playing in the same group, Harrington opened with four pars while Woods eagled the second hole and added a birdie on the fourth. He birdied the fifth to take the lead.

By the turn, Woods was up by two strokes and seemed to be in command. But bogeys at the 13th and 14th holes dropped him a shot back of Harrington, who had parred the first 10 holes before picking up his sole birdie of the round at the 11th.

No one else applied any pressure. Allenby’s closing 66 allowed him to slide into a tie for second with Harrington, who had a 72 to also finish at 8-under 272. Hunter Mahan (66) and Angel Cabrera (67) were another shot back, but never approached the lead.

With Harrington still up by a shot, both hit drives into the rough at the 630-yard, par-5 16th hole—dubbed “The Monster” by Arnold Palmer. Woods punched a shot into the fairway, but Harrington pulled his layup and it ended up on the slope of a trap. From there he hit a high shot that soared over the green and into thick rough.

Both players had been put on the clock for slow play earlier in the round, and then had been reminded they were falling behind on the 16th tee. Perhaps that caused Harrington to rush. Either way, the results were disastrous.

He hit a flyer from the deep hay behind the green, the ball rolling past the pin and into the lake that fronts the green.

“I just got it a little bit too much on the club face and didn’t get under it enough and it came out strong,” Harrington said.

After walking back down the fairway, taking a drop and hitting his sixth shot just over the green, he chipped on and hit the putt for a triple-bogey 8.

Meanwhile, Woods produced one of his characteristically clutch shots when most needed.

His 8 iron from 178 yards stayed in the air for a long time before coming down, then spinning back to within a foot.

“It was a superb shot. It was a phenomenal shot,” Harrington said. “But I was having my own troubles at that stage.”

Easy birdie. Four-shot swing. Another win at Firestone, and—ho hum— another win in a WGC event for Tiger Woods.

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Updated Aug 10, 3:47 am EDT
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896 Comments

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  1. MISSIONARY
    896. Posted by MISSIONARY Fri Sep 18 2:34am EDT

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    Dear Pastor Jerome,
    You miss me much and want to have your news.
    Love you
    Evangelist NYONATO FROM TOGO WEST AFRICA
    Evangelist NYONATO Yawovi
    13 P.O.BOX:79 Lome-Togo
    Cell:(00228) 931 93 20 / (228) 9O76663
    Fax/Phone:00228 225 02 49
    www.missionjb.org
    www.johnbaptistmission.org
    www.missionjb.blogspot.com
  2. I love beer runs
    895. Posted by I love beer runs Sat Aug 15 5:49pm EDT

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    You said''you is as dumb is dirt ' LOL and "all of you says " and " all of you is a fraud"who the f is a Kolby Bryant is that a sandwich made with that beef thats 50 dollars a pound from japan LOL
    Lets try "you are as dumb as dirt" "you all say or all of you say" "you all know you are a fraud"
    I believe you may have meant Kobe Bryant who along with Lamar,Pau,Fish,and Ron will be bringing home another trophy to L.A. this year GO LAKERS.
    HOOKED ON PHONICS CAN WORK FOR YOU TO.
    Now consider yourself edumacated lol
  3. KONG
    894. Posted by KONG Tue Aug 11 5:39pm EDT

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    HP: Great message from the words of Abe Lincoln, shame others don't get it.
  4. wildbill
    893. Posted by wildbill Tue Aug 11 11:56am EDT

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    to grene. you're a retard. the race card lives because of retards like you! By the way I voted for Obama.
  5. H P
    892. Posted by H P Tue Aug 11 11:10am EDT

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    Hey D

    In the words of Abraham Lincoln, "With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in, to bind up the nation's wounds."

    Maybe this can help you understand reverse racism.....

    "A truly post-racial society requires that we resist the temptation to create race-based policies for the purpose of correcting rancid injustices of the distant past."
  6. <i>lutra6</i>
    891. Posted by lutra6 Tue Aug 11 10:51am EDT

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    wow
    you guys are about as bad as us South Africans. Always bringing race into everything. The only race issue that needs to be discussed on this commentry is the race against time that Tiger and Padraig had to go thru.
  7. clarence h
    890. Posted by clarence h Tue Aug 11 9:50am EDT

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    It was a great game! Thanks Tiger , Harrington and Bridgestone
  8. <i>sbeamn</i>
    889. Posted by sbeamn Tue Aug 11 9:40am EDT

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    D - you seem to filled with just as much hate as those you describe. Again, generalizing and stereotyping all "white people" does not solve anything. I see no reason why we cannot celebrate how far we've come AND acknowledge how far we still have to go without all the animosity.

    and @ Grene:
    "Fact: You whites says you are superior to all other races."
    "Fact: Whenever there is a topic about a black person especially and athlete you whites is the one to change the subject and talk about how terrible a black athlete is."
    "Fact: White peopls always say that they are more intelligent than blacks and have never invented anythng important to society and this country."
    "Fact: White people says they will always rule this earh and no black will ever rule."

    If you truly believe ANY of what you've said here to be FACT you are beyond delusional.
  9. D
    888. Posted by D Tue Aug 11 4:00am EDT

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    883. Posted by H P: Apparently I hit one of your racist nerves. By the way, could you please explain to me and the rest of the world what "Reverse racism" is? Sit down and think about it for a second and maybe, just maybe you will begin to unlock the source of your deep seated fears and racist beliefs. Now the last I heard, this is America, and I am able to write and express my point of views on this site as I so desire. Now I know in your heart you are wishing that those laws to keep Blacks from learning to read and write were still in place. I am aware that is an article about Tiger Woods, but as usual, idiots like you read without comprehension. Simply citing Pres. Obama, does not constitute my response being totally about him. Finally, yes I can accomplish whatever I want to and it's not because I am in America, it's because I serve a God who makes it possible for me to accomplish whatever I desire anywhere in this world. God first, country second, that's the order of things for without God, there would not be an America. So get it straight. Now go back to work and do the job you probably got because you passed the "color spectrometer test" (you'll get it on your way home, maybe), and I will continue to enjoy my vacation for another two weeks by writing blogs or doing whatever I please.
  10. billyb
    887. Posted by billyb Tue Aug 11 2:39am EDT

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    Tiger is always the gentleman. He'll take the punishment like a man because he did break a rule. That being said, golf should be kissing the ground Tiger walks on. He has done more for the game than anyone since Ben Hogan. Right now, he is the best in the world at what he does. I wouldn't make him angry, golf rule makers, or he might decide to skip a few tournaments. Remember what happened after his operation? It would happen again.
  11. Grene
    886. Posted by Grene Tue Aug 11 2:03am EDT

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    @ #889 Randy. You know very well what I said and do not try to turn it around. I said that you racist white people are stupid beyond stupidity because all of you says the same old lame stupid excuse about blacks wearing racism around their necks and you little stupid white boy tried to make a joke out of it because it hurt you when blacks tell the truth about you white people. Your whole race is stupid but you try to reverse it and put it on other races. And deep down inside you know all of you is a fraud, a big pretender. I do not care that you control everything and you got to that point by stealing, cheating, lying and killing other races. You know to be honest little white boy a few white people have told me the truth about the white race during my many travels over this country and here is what your own white people has said about you and your white people. White men have told me this in their exact words--------You know sir, my white people are racist and liars and every where we go we bring hate and destruction and I ask why? Because we whites think we are better than any other race but deep down we are stupid is hell to think that and we are nonthing but a piece of chicken sh#t and I could not believe to hear this from another white man. He said he wanted to say this berfore he died and wanted to get eveything right in his life before he met his maker. So little ignorant white boy you can say what you want to say and try to deny all but in reality you is as dumb is dirt and has the brain of a dodo bird which was the most sutpid bird that ever walked this planet. Now you go right ahead and type or say whatever you want to say about myself or any blacks because I will just laught at your piterful little ignorant pathetic disgusting shell of a human being. And do the world a favor-- go back to school and get an education.
  12. Charlotte
    885. Posted by Charlotte Tue Aug 11 1:45am EDT

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    this to me {from what I've read } seems {not right}. I believe Tiger Woods is unfairly fined {punished. } Where is it that in a sport event; that a conpetater does not have the freedom of speech t o comment ? There was no disorderly conduct ?
  13. I love beer runs
    884. Posted by I love beer runs Tue Aug 11 12:54am EDT

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    LOL 884 you said "you is stupid" haha your gramar is awesome and 885 what is a maron some sort of fish?
    Fact:Tiger will Dominate golf until the year 2056 he will then turn into a ball of pure energy and return to his home planet Nori 8 Nostradamus predicted it already.

    On a side note I LOVE BEER RUNS.
  14. Winet
    883. Posted by Winet Tue Aug 11 12:41am EDT

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    does anyone here think that that chip of Padraig on the sixteenth was a bit suspicious? i cant believe a pro who can drive 380yds, can miss a green like that. could it have been staged? are there any gambling in this sports? I was enjoying the game until this unfortunate moment. It seems unreal for a pro to miss such a chip and put it in the water. I hope there is nothing behind it. for this wonderful game of gentlemen be infiltrated by unscrupoluous practices
  15. Msclaudy
    882. Posted by Msclaudy Mon Aug 10 9:34pm EDT

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    I am ffrom trinidad and tobago and i enjoy watching tiger. he is not only a genius of the game but has a powerful mind. if we all could be that strong minded may be we would stamp out racism and enjoy our lices and countries the way tiger enjoys his golf.
  16. odell r
    881. Posted by odell r Mon Aug 10 9:27pm EDT

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    I AM glad tot see lefty back also glad his wife and mother is doing fine may be they wont get rushed
  17. odell r
    880. Posted by odell r Mon Aug 10 9:00pm EDT

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    tiger woods rules I never watched golf on tv until woods started playing , to the European offical John whoever you did rush Padraig harrington I just WANT TO KNOW why there was no one playing behind them.TV gets a good rating when there a good show ; john paramor ,YOU ARE A MARON you need to be fined .for rushing the golfer they make you .you dont make them.. .
  18. Grene
    879. Posted by Grene Mon Aug 10 8:58pm EDT

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    @ #884 the one that call himself Krannis. Today the facts will be told and the proof of the facts will be proven. Fact: You say you are the way you are because blacks are the way they are. Now let's tell the truth. The true answer to the question is----your mother and father told you from bith that because of your pale skin you was superior to everyone that was not white which is the biggest bunch of crap and horse feathers one can imagine. You cannot help yourself becuse your mother and father was told by their mother and father that they was better than other races because they had pale skin. Fact: You whites says you are superior to all other races. Why? Anwer to fact: You have been brainwashed from birth from your racist parents. Second answer: You was born into a family with racist ideas and values. It has been proven that the majority of whites was taught from childhood to hate. Fact: You say ask the jews and Irish about their past and the only thing that is different about them and the blacks is that they do not wear their past around their necks like a yoke. Answer to Fact: First of all Irish is white and Jews are considered white and these two races can go live in a neighboorhood that has white only living where they would not welcome a black. Even Asians in which you white people do not give total equality to still can live in better places and get more opprotunities.
    I have heard this a million times over by you white people and the saying goes the same as you said like this----You blacks wear you past around your necks and this is all you whites can say because all of you is stuplid beyond stupidity and you are blind to see the true facts but in reality you do not want to see the true facts. Why? Because you are in denial about everything that do not go your way . So what do you do? You put it back on black people and blame them for everything that you do not want to agree with even though you know it is wrong . Fact: Whenever there is a topic about a black person especially and athlete you whites is the one to change the subject and talk about how terrible a black athlete is. Why? Instead of you whites talking about golf you all always talk about how bad Kolby Bryant or Michael Vick or that other black guy that ran over that man in Florida and how many times have I read you whites even talking about President Obama or Jessee Jackson and Al Sharpton which do not have anything to do with golf. And yet most people says racism is a thing of the past and it is all and good in America these days. Well I really thank Yahoo column from having this type of forum. Why? Because it truly let's the closet Klu Klux Klan which is yourself and others like you come out of hiding to prove that racism is alive and kicking and doing quite well here in the 21st century(2009). Fact: You whites always say blacks is the one whinning about racism and we blame you whites for everything. Answer to Fact: Then why when there was Affirmative Action which gave jobs and favored to blacks and other minorities you whites was the one whinning the most saying that it was unfair to even though some whites was less qualified than blacks. Only then you realized how blacks had been feeling all those years. Fact: Tiger Woods and other black athlets are hated by whites: Answer
    to the Fact: Tiger Woods is beating everyone on the PGA and they mostly is all white. He is beating Phil Nickolson, Stuart Cink Jim Furyk and the rest. White people want to see Nickolson, Cink and Furyk win and they get disgusted and angry if a white golfer is not winning and this is a true fact. The same with the William Sisters in Tennis they are beating all the white players like Safina and Sharapova and the whites want to see white players win. The whites are looking at skin color only and not looking that Tiger and the William Sister are born Americans. Fact: White peopls always say that they are more intelligent than blacks and have never invented anythng important to society and this country. Answer to fact: Blacks are enrollled by the thousand in Major Universities from Harvard, Yale, Princeton down to city colleges in every llevel. Just read the facts how blacks have invented new types of medicene to developing new types of aircraft to desingning new types of automobile. No blacks belive that a white is superior to him and that is the biggest lie and a piece of bull. The bottom line is give a black child the same education as a white child and they both will succeed equally in every category and this has been proven time and time again. Fact: Hitler once though that his hand picked blue eyes and blond hair super human man was invincible. I often looked at that film back in 1936 in Germany at the Olympics when the first black man won a gold medal in the 100 yard dash to see who was the fastest man on the planet when Jesse Owens beat Hiltler's blue eyes and blond hair super human by 3 car lengths to get the gold and Hitler stood up and left the stadium in disgust and anger because he not believe Owens could beat his blue eyed blond hair superhuman which was suppose to be superior to all.
    Fact: White people says they will always rule this earh and no black will ever rule. Answer to the Fact: The total race of Minorities is out numbering whites and just in a few years the Mexicans will out number the whites here is America and there will be a multi racial rule. Even in the bible Revelation speaks of this new rule and you can see it is really happening today and it is for the better. No one race has the right to rule over another race. In a multi race society every race is represented and treated equallly. In this world this is what the whites feared so many hudred of years was afraid of CHANGE---And change is coming no matter who do not like it. One thing for sure in this life and that is"----"Change nonthing stays the same.
  19. H P
    878. Posted by H P Mon Aug 10 7:06pm EDT

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    Hey D, this is america and you can accomplish whatever you want. We are talking about a black president in the chat room of a black athlete. I have not read all of your reverse racism articles because, even as a white male, to be successful in this country I have to work and don't have time to write essays in a blog on a monday. Now that I am done with my brief break maybe you can waste more of your time waiting for the next post as someone probably pays you to do so. I suspect at the end of the day you think think that you deserve a raise for your hard work today.
  20. D
    877. Posted by D Mon Aug 10 6:40pm EDT

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    kmanis@..First your statement proves the point that racist like you are indeed alive and thriving in 2009. I think you miss the point totally. If you read my message you will note that I don't come from a background of people who are without accomplishments. I'm pround to say that my father, brothers and I have all served honorably in the military. My father fought in WWII and was at Normandy, two of my brothers served with one in VIetham and the other in Korea, and I during the Gulf War and Iraqi freedom. With me being the first commissioned officer. Everyone of my parents children is college educated and the same is true of our children. My father never took any form of public assistance in rearing his children. If anything what you should take from my message is this - Look what we have accomplished IN SPITE OF the racism, IN SPITE OF the organized efforts to keep us down, IN SPITE OF the long lasting impact of slavery and post-slavery atrocities. And concerning your comment with regards to the Irish and Jews, I would never diminish the impact that their past may have had on them. However, as was stated by endentured white servants in the 1700's, they could blend in with mainstream America being white, but a Black man was going to be Black till the day he died, and he can't hide that (nor would we want to). I've read Angela's Ashes and totally empathize with the plight of many Irish American at the prejudiced hands of other European Americans who maintained and continued their attitudes of hatred towards those who happened to worship differently than they do or did. And Jews are constantly teaching their children about the atrocities of the Holocaust and have no intention of allowing history to ever forget what happened. I'm sure you are aware that there is a museum to serve as a reminder of what happened. So to you again I say, I am educated IN SPITE of people like you. I am confindent and proud, IN SPITE OF The Shameful history of slavery in this country. Many of us are PROUD of what we have accomplished IN SPITE OF all the injustices we've had to overcome. My question to you is What's your excuse for being the hateful person you are? Are you going to blame Blacks for you evil words or is it simply you are an evil person, period? You know, I bet it was people with your mentality that sneered down at Tiger Woods in his youth when he competed at the traditionally All white golf courses. But you know what? He excelled IN SPITE of racist like you. If it were possible, I would turn your skin black and drop you off in VA in 1843; and in Mississippi in 1873; in GA, in 1923; In the U.S. Army in 1943 training at in Louisianna; in Alabama at a white only lunch counter in 1963; in Watts in 1969; In South Side Chicago in 1973; on any traditionally White Country Club's Golf Course in 1976 requesting a tee time; in the driver's seat of Rodney King's car in Los Angeles in 1991; on a lonely road in Jasper, TX, in 1998; or the 5th Ward of New Orleans just before Hurricane Katrina in 2005; and in your own house in anytown, USA, being arrested by a police force where they refer to Black men as a Banana Eating Jungle Monkey.
  21. Benjamin M
    876. Posted by Benjamin M Mon Aug 10 5:07pm EDT

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    In case you haven't noticed, this is an article about Tiger Woods, not race. There's a whole section on Yahoo for politics, this about Tiger's victory so we should discuss Tiger's victory instead of racism in America.
  22. <i>norman_jones62</i>
    875. Posted by norman_jones62 Mon Aug 10 5:07pm EDT

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    yes,, i only watch golf when greg norman or tiger woods is in contention.every person that competes for something shows emotion ,even playing poker,,jobs ,,in,school,at our homes where our kids pick up most of their habits..say what you will,,tiger woods wins with grace and lose with grace better than any professional than i ever seen,never an excuse ,,thats a real professional...p.s.i am a plumber by trade,a single parent of my only son for 20years,, hes a jr.in college now..i am a avarage guy.he is a high profile basketball player,,he have been in all parts of the world,have meet celeb.,all stars,,ceos,professors,but his father is his roll model..message stot letting t.v. impress your kids more than you,,Tiger woods is the man!
  23. Harold
    874. Posted by Harold Mon Aug 10 4:50pm EDT

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    Tiger, Tiger, Tiger.

    Thanks for showing us how its done in yet another memorable event. You may be the world's greatest golfer but your character exceeds your golf skills. The barriers you've broken are incredible and some people cannot seem to be able to handle it. Thanks for giving us your best.
  24. sir wil
    873. Posted by sir wil Mon Aug 10 4:27pm EDT

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    True Golfers just set back and enjoy golf at its best.......I am also an Air force Vet who has
    sense enough to realize that heroes come from all corners of all our great nation. Been playing
    golf well over 27 years, love to have a dollar for each time I have seen somene throw clubs, yell,
    cry after hitting a bad shot........Enjoy this ride with Tiger.........
  25. <i>teenegusus</i>
    872. Posted by teenegusus Mon Aug 10 4:18pm EDT

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    Other than the white ball golf is played with, what has color got to do with anything? It has been said that people change when they grow up; i guess a lot of you all have not grown up despite your age.
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