Woods continues PGA tour win streak

The finish of an impressive 2006 season carried over to 2007 for Tiger Woods as he won his seventh consecutive tour event on Sunday, capturing the Buick Invitational by two strokes.

Woods, who has won the event five times including the last three, shot a final-round six-under-par 66 to finish at 15-under 273.

Charles Howell, who has finished second twice at Torrey Pines Golf Course, shot a final-round 68.

Brandt Snedeker was third at 12-under and Bubba Watson, Mark Calcavecchia and Andrew Buckle of Australia were four strokes back.

It was the 55th career victory for Woods, who is alone in second place with the most consecutive tour victories behind the record of 11 set by Byron Nelson in 1945.

Woods won six straight events in 1999 and 2000 and Ben Hogan also won six in a row in 1948.

“As far as how special seven is, you’re in elite company,” Woods said.

“There’s only one person that’s ahead of you. You know, he’s one of the game’s greatest legends in the history of the game. To be in company like that with Mr Nelson and Mr Hogan up there as well, it’s pretty special to be in that kind of company.”

Tour rookies Snedeker and Buckle were two strokes in front of Woods to begin the final round, but the lead evaporated quickly.

Snedeker was even par through nine holes and could not keep up with Buckle, who was posting birdies on the front nine en route to a 33.

Woods was three shots behind Buckle when his tee shot on the 176-yard par-three eighth hole came to rest eight feet from the cup. He converted that for a birdie and then reached the 609-yard par five in two shots after a 331-yard drive, setting up an eagle that cut the deficit to one.

The 13th hole was key for Woods. He reached the par-five, 541-yard hole in two shots and had a 65-foot eagle putt that nearly went in, breaking right to left and finishing directly behind the cup.

The tap-in gave Woods his first lead of the tournament.

At the same time Woods was putting for eagle, Buckle and Jeff Quinney were trying to scramble for bogey.

Neither could do it, as Buckle made double bogey on 12 to fall one shot behind Woods and Quinney had a double bogey to fall three shots back.

Howell had the same opportunity to deal Woods a little misfortune as he did in 2005. Looking to force a playoff with Woods two years ago, his 96-yard wedge shot on the 72nd hole bounced into the cup, ricocheted out and into the water.

This time, Woods took a lot of suspense away when he made a three-foot birdie on the 17th hole to increase his lead to two shots.

Playing in the same group as his friend, Howell again had a chance for a playoff if he eagled the 18th and Woods made par.

Howell hit a drive that allowed him to get to the green in two, while Woods found the right bunker for the third consecutive day.

Unlike the previous two days, when Woods hit a 5-wood out of the bunker, he chose to lay up and try and get his third shot close.

His third shot hit the green and spun off the front, while Howell had 52 feet for eagle.

However, his attempt was wide to the right, ending any chance he had for a playoff.

“I was trying to just obviously hole the putt,” Howell said.

“I knew Tiger would get that ball up and down. I actually over-read it more than I ended up putting it. It’s an extremely difficult putt, but I was glad I was able to get a 3-wood on the ball from the rough to go for the green.

Woods had his own quandary. His third shot had landed in a hole, and he wasn’t sure how to hit that shot.

“I was just trying to figure out how to play it,” Woods said. “Do you hit it with the toe of the putter? Do you play the sand wedge? You can’t chip it. The lie was bad enough where I couldn’t chip it, so that was out the door.

He settled on the sand wedge and hit the ball to three feet, easily making the par putt, one of the few conservative holes he had all day.

“I played pretty aggressive on that back nine,” Woods said. “I just happened to come out on top.”