Woods takes care of business

To use one of his favourite phrases, Tiger Woods "took care of business" today after deciding not to risk flying to Dubai this week.

Woods, who wants to stay in America rather than be anywhere near a possible war zone, beat Ryder Cup team-mate David Toms two and one in the 36-hole final of the Accenture Match Play Championship at La Costa near San Diego.

It was not as easy as it threatened to be, though. Woods was five-up after 19, then only one ahead with three to play.

The issue was settled when Toms found a horrid patch of rough short left of the 35th green.

The ball was almost invisible and after he chipped only to the fringe Woods got up and down from a bunker to win.

"I didn’t hit it all that great and definitely didn’t putt well," said Woods.

"But these greens were awfully quick. It was tough for all of us."

The victory brought golf’s number one yet another million-dollar prize and completed a full set of World Golf Championships titles.

Since the WGC series was introduced in 1999 Woods has played in 13 and won seven, earning nearly eight million dollars.

Next best is Darren Clarke - conqueror of Woods in the 2000 final and a quarter-finalist this year with just under two million.

The match play crown was added to three NEC Invitationals, two American Express championships and one World Cup after a final which had an air of inevitability about it right from the start.

After two months out recovering from knee surgery, Woods has won two of his first three events back. What price a record third successive Masters title in April now?

Toms, even as the sixth seed, knew he had probably to be on the top of his game just to have a chance, but in the morning round he managed only a three-over-par 75 to Woods' 71.

Woods then birdied the 19th, but against the odds the pendulum started to swing on the next when Toms holed from 30 feet and the top seed missed from six.

At the long 21st Toms, short in two, made a 10-footer and Woods, on in two, three-putted.

He did have another birdie to win the 24th, but after only two bogeys in his first 102 holes he had two in the next two and when Toms birdied the 29th the gap was only one.

Woods birdied the 31st, but Toms replied in kind two holes later.

The unlucky break at the 35th, however, ended the matter.

After victories in the event for 24th seed Jeff Maggert, 19th seed Clarke, 55th seed Steve Stricker and 62nd seed Kevin Sutherland, Woods had finally stamped his name on one of the few big events to have previously eluded him.

In the all-Australian third place play-off Adam Scott beat beat Peter Lonard with a nine-foot birdie putt on the last after being six-up after eight.

It earned the 22-year-old £326,384 and Lonard £265,185.

Nice work if you can get it.