SAN DIEGO — Tiger Woods withstood a late bogey, double-bogey, par, bogey wobble in strengthening winds to end a week of dominant golf by clinching his 75th PGA Tour title by four shots at the Farmers Insurance Open Monday. Six strokes in front overnight at 17-under with 11 holes to play in the fog-delayed final round, Woods kept his closest challengers at bay as he signed off with a level-par 72 on a cold, sun-splashed afternoon at Torrey Pines. The 14-time major champion briefly moved eight ahead before his unexpected stumble in increasingly difficult conditions over the four-hole stretch from the 14th but he parred the last to post a 14-under total of 274. Defending champion Brandt Snedeker dropped one shot in the five holes he had to complete Monday, carding a 69 to tie for second with fellow American Josh Teater (69). “It got a little ugly toward the end,” Woods said greenside after removing his cap and raising both arms skywards to celebrate his seventh victory at the event. “We played nine holes in just over three hours, and three of them are par threes. I started losing my patience a little bit, and that's when I made a few mistakes. “But all my good play before that really allowed me to afford those mistakes. I'm excited the way I played all week. I hit the ball well, pretty much did everything well this week and built myself a nice little cushion.” Woods triumphed in a third different PGA Tour event for a seventh time, having already recorded seven wins apiece at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. His 75th career victory on the US circuit put him seven behind the record 82 piled up by Sam Snead, the only player ahead of him in the all-time standings. “A win always makes it special,” said Woods, who clinched the most recent of his 14 majors in the 2008 US Open at Torrey Pines. “Does it feel good? Yes. Does it give me confidence? Absolutely. I'm excited about this year.” The first Monday finish in 61 editions of the Farmers Insurance Open was played at a painfully slow pace, Woods and his two partners having to wait on virtually every tee before they could proceed. Watney, winner here in 2009, bogeyed four of his last nine holes for a 71 to finish in a tie for fourth at nine under with fellow American Jimmy Walker (71). “Today was a bit rocky,” said five-times PGA Tour champion Watney. Three-time champion Phil Mickelson closed with a 70 to share 51st place at level-par 288, a distant 14 strokes behind Woods. — Reuters
