Friday, March 20, 2009

WOODS ENDS ON LOSING SIDE

WOODS ENDS ON LOSING SIDE


Tiger Woods scored one and a half points for his Isleworth club but could not stop Lake Nona claiming the Tavistock Cup in Orlando, Florida, on Tuesday.

The world number one, looking to continue his comeback from reconstructive knee surgery last summer, followed up his tie for ninth place on Sunday in the WGC-CA Championship at Doral with a three-under-par round of 69 at the Lake Nona club in a three-million dollar charity match between two clubs with memberships numbering a host of the world's best touring professionals.

Playing fourball singles medal match play, Woods halved his match with England's Ian Poulter but defeated Henrik Stenson, who could only shoot a four-over 76 for the Lake Nona team.

Woods' playing partner Charles Howell III also shot three under to halve with Poulter and defeat Stenson but Lake Nona emerged victorious for only the second time in the six-year history of the event.

Northern Ireland's Graeme McDowell led the Lake Nona team captained by Ernie Els to overturn an overnight 6-4 lead held by Mark O'Meara's Isleworth side.

McDowell, hit a six under par 66 to claim the Payne Stewart Award as the low scorer and his round earned him two points with victories over Australians Nick O'Hern (one under) and Stuart Appleby (three under).

McDowell's partner Retief Goosen hit a two-under 70 to defeat O'Hern but lose to Appleby.

"I played pretty nicely today," McDowell said. "It's an interesting format and I think it's important we won this year or else they would have tried to find someone else to play against."

Ben Curtis and Justin Rose also contributed four-under-par scores to score two victories apiece, the American over compatriots O'Meara and John Cook and Englishman Rose over JB Holmes of the USA and Robert Allenby of Australia.

McDowell's compatriot Darren Clarke was the low Isleworth scorer, his four under defeating Els and Mark McNulty.


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