Play-off victory for Woods

World Golf Championship: Firestone specialist Tiger Woods won his fourth consecutive PGA Tour title with a gripping fourth-hole play-off victory over fellow American Stewart Cink at the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational on Sunday.

The world number one triumphed by sinking an eight-foot birdie putt at the fourth extra hole where 2004 champion Cink found the front greenside bunker with his approach.

Woods was three ahead with five to play and seemingly destined for a fourth straight victory.

After England's Paul Casey had led by one with nine holes remaining Woods birdied three of the next four, but he had a bogey six to Cink's birdie four on the long 16th, then Cink holed from 22 feet at the next.

Cink drove into the rough at the last, but a great first putt from 88 feet enabled him to save par. Woods had a 22-footer from the fringe to win, but left it short and so they went into a play-off.

Both tied on the 10 under par total of 270, one better than Jim Furyk. Casey slipped to joint fourth with Angel Cabrera, Davis Love III and Lucas Glover.

Woods had won the event in a seven-hole play-off with Furyk in 2001 and he and Cink could not be separated at the first extra hole.

Both missed the 18th green on the left, but got up and down. Cink's chip ran past the edge of the hole.

The second - the 17th - was halved in fours as well with Cink missing a 17-foot chance to win after Woods had failed from a foot further.

Cink had another chance on the third extra hole after Woods failed to get up and down from a greenside bunker at the 18th, but he missed his eight-footer and so on they went.

Padraig Harrington had a 68 and finished in 27th place on two over par. Paul McGinley had a 72 to finish on 14 over par and tied for 66th place. Both remain in the European Ryder Cup team as things stand.

Ian Poulter was in no mood to talk after finishing with a 68 for a three-under par total of 277. Good round though it was he knew he had missed his chance to make the Ryder Cup team and must now hope for a wild card.

Poulter saw his cup hopes nosedive when he three-putted from only four feet for a double bogey six at the 13th.

He instantly knew the damage it had done and with the wind knocked out of his sails he bogeyed the next two and dropped all the way to tied-17th.

Lee Westwood also needs a Ryder Cup wild card. After falling ill during the third round, he withdrew from the event.

The former European number one had to finish in the top six to retain any hope of qualifying automatically for next month's match at the K Club, but his Saturday 74 had dropped him to 66th place in the 78-man field.

Westwood complained of feeling sick and feverish when he came off. A doctor was called, but antibiotics failed to do the trick and after a bad night he announced he was pulling out.