Woods back on top after dramatic duel

TIGER WOODS came from behind to overtake Phil Mickelson and win the Ford Championship by one stroke in Florida.

Woods, who started the final round two shots behind, posted a six-under 66 to finish on 24-under at 264 and beat Mickelson in an exciting head-to-head showdown.

The drama lasted right to the end, with Mickelson lipping-out his birdie chip at the par-four 18th, before Woods sank his winning par putt from five feet at Doral Resort’s Blue Monster. Mickelson carded a 69 for a 265 total.

Vijay Singh tied for third with Zach Johnson at 269 but the Fijian surrendered his world number one ranking to Woods in the process.

Woods took the lead for the first time with an eagle at the long par-five 12th to go two shots ahead, but Mickelson birdied the next two to level. Both bogeyed the 16th, before Woods went ahead for the final time with a 28-foot putt at the 17th, setting up the final hole showdown.

Meanwhile, a week that began with Ernie Els sitting in economy ended with him celebrating one of the most dramatic victories of his illustrious career.

The 35-year-old South African’s 58th professional win came when he sank a curling 18-foot eagle putt on the 547-yard final hole of the Dubai Desert Classic and then saw long-time leader Miguel Angel Jimenez three-putt the same green.

A play-off looked the best Els, winner of the title in 1994 and 2002, could hope for when he came to the last tee in third place behind Jimenez and Welshman Stephen Dodd.

The Ryder Cup Spaniard was favourite to win when he hit the green in two. But he was 70 feet away - and after not reading enough break, he was left with a six-footer.

Els, meanwhile, crunched a huge drive and had only 178 yards left. With the flag close to the lake, nobody had eagled the hole all day. But the world number three hit a towering six-iron and got the line of his putt exactly right.

Suddenly Jimenez’s putt was to stay alive - and when it missed Els, who was in contention for all four majors last season and did not win one of them, had this time grabbed victory from the jaws of defeat.

Els’ closing 68 gave him the £191,477 first prize with a 19-under-par total of 269 and left Jimenez and Dodd - round in 70 and a superb 66 respectively - sharing second.

Colin Montgomerie was fourth, not enough to take him back into the world’s top 50, so he will play in China in two weeks still trying to grab a place in next month’s Masters.

Dodd, British amateur champion back in 1989, paid 10 trips to the European Tour qualifying school before finally tasting success in the Volvo China Open in November. The 38-year-old from Cardiff, still only 184th in the world, beat playing partner Montgomerie by three.

Stephen Gallacher had the third hole-in-one of the week, acing the 188-yard fourth.