Tiger Woods emerged from his "slump" of three tournaments without a win to claim an amazing 10th title of the year in Thailand. The world number one fired his third consecutive 65 to seal a three-shot victory and take the £133,330 sterling first prize at the Alpine Golf and Sports Club.
Woods finished on a remarkable 25-under-par total of 263, with Australian Geoff Ogilvy runner-up for the second year in a row despite a brilliant closing 64. Defending champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand was third at 69.Former British Open champion Paul Lawrie finished in a tie for fourth with Australian Rodney Pampling on 16 under.
"I played well," said Woods with typical understatement after regaining the title he won two years ago and maintaining his 100 per cent record in Thailand. He also made his first cut in a professional tournament while still an amateur here in 1994.
"It was a very good day. I went out there with the intention of shooting 65, because if I did Michael (Campbell) would have to shoot 62 and that is what I did, almost exactly to the plan. "Michael played well early on and made a lot of birdies and then Geoff got into it by playing extremely well and I had to make a couple of birdies.
"It's always special to win in Thailand because it's my mother's home country and part of my culture and heritage. It was great to get such a warm reception and see family and friends out there watching. "The golf course was playing on the short side because it was so hot - it's not often I have a three-quarter wedge from 150 yards - and all the players took advantage of that. "Now I have got three more tournaments to go this year and hopefully I can keep it going."Woods began the final day three shots clear, and although first Campbell and then Ogilvy briefly closed the gap to two, the 24-year-old never looked in any trouble in a flawless display.
Campbell was the first to try to challenge Woods' superiority with four early birdies helping close the gap by one to two shots after seven holes. But the Kiwi's challenge disappeared at the ninth when he missed the green and failed to get up and down from a tricky lie in the thick rough and Woods made birdie from six feet to establish a four-shot lead. Minutes later it was five shots as Woods birdied the 10th and Camphell missed from closer in after his approach had almost pitched in the hole.
It was dowb to Ogilvy to take up the chase and birdies at 10, 11, 13 and 14 closed the gap briefly to two shots. But Woods, playing in the group behind, always had something in hand and birdies on the 14th where his eagle chip stopped millimetres short of the hole at the 16th and on the 17th kept him clear.
Ogilvy, the 23-year-old from Melbourne, said: "I have never started the weekend being two behind, shot 67, 64 and lost by three. It's ridiculous and that was as good as I could have played. All credit to Tiger, he is the best, he is the king.
"My goal was to win the tournament, to shoot low and to actually make him have to play and at least we did that. To shoot a 64 and chase Tiger on the back nine, making birdie for birdie, that was a fantastic feeling.
"I thought at the 10th that 23-under would be good enough, but in the end he is just too good. "Second is a good way to start the Australian and European season and finishing second to Tiger is almost like winning away. It's justdisappointing that he was here!" Campbell added: "I targeted around 63 or 64 to have a chance of winning, but it obviously would not have been good enough anyway."
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