Late Woods charge brings 73rd PGA Tour win

DIGEST/US TOUR: Tiger Woods spectacularly overhauled a fading Spencer Levin and a charging Rory Sabbatini with a few moments…

DIGEST/US TOUR:Tiger Woods spectacularly overhauled a fading Spencer Levin and a charging Rory Sabbatini with a few moments of magic to win his 73rd PGA Tour title by two shots at the Memorial tournament yesterday.

He began the final day four strokes behind the pacesetting Levin and made a fast start before taking control with a scintillating finish that included a chip-in for birdie at the 16th that was lavishly praised by tournament host Jack Nicklaus.

Woods birdied three of the last four holes for a five-under-par 67 and a nine-under total of 279, moving past Nicklaus into outright second place in the all-time standings for career victories on the US circuit.

Nicklaus has 72 PGA Tour wins while Sam Snead leads the way with 82.

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PORTMARNOCK’S JAMES Fox might have escaped the worst of the weather but he was still grateful to add a 73 to his opening 66 and take a four-stroke lead in the final 36 holes of the East of Ireland Amateur Open at County Louth, writes Brian Keogh.

Driving rain and a chill east-northeast wind gusting up to 30mph forced officials to delay the start by 70 minutes. Yet while Fox and the rest of the afternoon starters were blessed by far more benign conditions, he was happy to finish the day four shots clear of Co Sligo’s Gary McDermott on five under 139.

“I’d have taken that on the first tee,” said Fox, who believes he’s a better player than he was when he jointly led at halfway in 2009 before fading to 10th. “I am three years older and three years more experienced, I guess. That said, I bet nobody remembers who was leading at halfway last year.”

Fox was on the bag for the last of his brother Noel’s three East of Ireland wins in 2002 but has no plans to join him in the professional ranks. “I went to the Q-School three times,” said the 29-year old financial analyst. “I figured if you’re not in you can’t win and if you are playing well you should have a go. But I’ve settled down and I’m a married man now and just starting a career.”

Fox bogeyed the first but after birdies at the third and fifth left him on seven under, he bogeyed the eighth, 10th, 11th, 12th and 13th and was pleased to pick up shots at the 14th, 16th and 18th.

He was still only marginally happier than 30-year old bank official McDermott who narrowly escaped disqualification on Saturday when he arrived late for his tee time and was handed a two-stroke penalty before eventually carding a 74.

“I could have been going home without playing,” said McDermott, who followed up with a best of the day 69 to get to one under par. “I was happy to take the two shots. It’s never happened to me before but I will have a couple of looks at the time sheet tonight.”

The Sligo man eventually carded six birdies, one bogey and a double bogey in his 69 while fellow clubman, 20-year old Michael Durcan, carded a second successive 72 to take his place in the final group.

TODAY’S TEE-TIMES – First tee/10th tee (7.0/12.0) Anderson, Kane, Shanahan; (7.10/12.10) McBride, Kenny, Bridges; (7.20/12.20) O’Connor, Gribben, Sinclair; (7.30/12.30) Grehan, Smyth, Carvill; (7.40/12.40) Dunne, Whitson, Ryan; (7.50/12.50) Coyle, Small, Weldon; (8.0/1.0) Bohill, Casey, Moynihan; (8.10/1.10) Ashby, Rafferty, Cannon. 10th tee/1st tee (7.0/12.0) McKnight, Murray, Whelan; (7.10/12.10) McGrane, O’Rourke, O’Donovan; (7.20/12.20) McCormack, O’Connor, Hume; (7.30/12.30) O’Hara, Selfridge, Doherty; (7.40/12.40) Hogan, Molloy, Kiernan; (7.50/12.50) Ward, Dwyer, Hurley; (8.0/1.0) Grant, Diamond, Morgan; (8.10/1.10) Lenehan, Campbell, McAlpin; (8.20/1.20) Durcan, McDermott, Fox.

SCOTTISH OPEN AMATEUR STROKEPLAY:Ballymena teenager Dermot McElroy warmed up for his assault on the Amateur Championship at Troon later this month with an encouraging display in the Scottish Open Amateur Championship at Kilmarnock (Barassie) at the weekend.

After a 74 on Friday McElroy, a member of the Great Britain and Ireland squad needed to step up a gear to make certain of surviving the halfway cut – and this he did with a splendid 72,his best round of the tournament.

Having edged into the final 41 who made it through to yesterday McElroy who will be 19 next week moved up several places with rounds of 75 and 73 in tricky conditions.

His 294 aggregate gave him 21st place albeit 12 strokes adrift of runaway winner Paul Barjon of France.

WOMEN'S: Meanwhile also in Scotland, the Carlow pair of Aedin Murphy and Karen Delaney finished well down the field in the prestigious St Rule Trophy at St Andrews.

Murphy was on 238 after rounds of 80,80 and 78 while Delaney ended on 243 with rounds of 80,80 and 83. They were both well adrift of winner Laura Murray,the Scottish champion from Alford who posted a 54-hole total of 220.