Furyk Holds Off Tiger to Win Buick Open
Posted on: Sunday, 3 August 2003, 06:00 CDT
Jim Furyk's career year just got better.
Holding off Tiger Woods, Furyk shot a 4-under-par 68 Sunday to win the Buick Open by two strokes. The victory gives the 2003 U.S. Open champion two titles in a year for the first time.
Furyk had won one tournament in each of the previous five seasons.
Woods carded a 66 in the final round to finish at 19 under, tying for second place with Chris DiMarco, Geoff Ogilvy and Briny Baird. It was Woods' final tuneup before the PGA Championship in two weeks, which will be his last chance this season to win a major.
Furyk played mistake-free golf other than a three-putt bogey from 26 feet on No. 11. He birdied the round's first two holes to extend the one-stroke lead he began the day with.
When other players mounted challenges on the back nine, Furyk kept them at bay with birdies at Nos. 13 and 14.
The last time Furyk led after 54 holes was at the U.S. Open, where he won his first major title and finished with a final score of 272, tying the tournament record held by Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Lee Janzen.
Furyk's 68-66-65-68 performance this week proved that missing the cut at the British Open two weeks ago was not a source of concern with his game, which features an unorthodox swing.
He has been in the top 10 in 13 of 19 tournaments this year, with two victories, a second- and a third-place finish.
Woods had a chance to be the first repeat champion at the Buick Open since 1965.
While the focus before the tournament was on his switch from a Nike driver to his old Titleist model, it was his putter that failed him over the weekend.
He had plenty of opportunities to put pressure on Furyk and collect his 39th tournament title, but he missed some putts that could have been made. Woods finished second for the 11th time.
Paul Goydos and Neal Lancaster were at 18 under, tied for sixth. Kenny Perry was in the top 10 for his seventh straight tournament with a 16-under 272, tied for eighth with Vijay Singh, Andrew Magee and Paul Gow.
Ben Curtis, playing in his first tournament since winning the British Open, shot a 67 to finish 6 under and tied for 61st.
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