Woosnam Maintains His Lead, Motors To Victory In Volvo Pga

Ian Woosnam won the Volvo PGA at Virginia Water, England, when expected challenges by Nick Faldo and Ernie Els failed to materialize.

Although all three players shot final rounds of 70, that was enough for Woosnam to keep his lead. The Welshman’s 13-under total of 275 was two strokes better than Faldo, Els and Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke, who shot a 71 for a share of second place.

Woosnam, who slipped a stroke behind Clarke at the turn after nine pars in a row, stayed in control as the others faltered on the back nine. He had his first birdie at 12 and regained the lead when Clarke bogeyed 13 and Faldo and Els both bogeyed 14 to fall two behind.

Woosnam holed a 20-footer for another birdie at 14 only to bogey the next. But with Faldo hitting bunkers, Clarke’s irons missing the fairways and Els unable to hole putts, Woosnam virtually clinched the title with a long third shot to within 18 inches of the flag at the 17th.

The round of the day came from Colin Montgomerie, who followed a disastrous 76 Sunday with a 64.

Tiger Woods gave a crowd estimated at 30,000 exactly what they paid for at the third annual Mystic Rock Charity Pro-Am in Farmington, Pa.

Woods shot a 7-under-par 65 to win the exhibition event by one stroke over Michael Bradley and Senior PGA Tour player Jim Thorpe. John Daly, who returns to the PGA Tour later this week after a two-month layoff for alcohol rehabilitation, shot a 1-over 73.