Bjorn stands firm before Tiger

Once upon a time, there was a notion of infallibility surrounding Tiger Woods. The respect still exists, but the sense of overpowering awe appears to have abated. Yesterday, when the Tiger roared, others refused to back off, least of all Thomas Bjorn - and the Dane, who had gone head-to-head with the world number one for the full four days of the Dubai Desert Classic at The Emirates Club, proved his resilience to take the title.

It was captivating stuff, particularly as Padraig Harrington gate-crashed what had threatened to be a party with just two invitations.

Yet, it was ironic that, in a tournament which featured a welter of birdies and eagles and general hot-scoring, a double-bogey seven on the last hole from Woods, the one player you just don't expect to make mistakes, should prove to be the most crucial act of all.

Bjorn, to his credit, had been the one to apply the pressure. "I'm very good under the cosh," he insisted. So, once he birdied the penultimate hole to draw level, he was aware of the importance of getting away a good drive down the 18th. He did.

What happened next was unexpected, as Woods put his drive into the palm trees, chopped out across the fairway and into the left rough, and then, with 150 yards to the flag, put his nine-iron approach into the water that guards the green. The title gone, Woods could only salvage a seven that dropped him back into a share of second with Harrington, who had closed with a round of 69, which gave the Irishman his second runners-up position in his last three European Tour events.

Ian Woosnam, two days after his 43rd birthday, made an early charge but struggled on the homeward run and eventually finished tied-fourth with Mathias Gronberg.

"I knew I had it when Tiger went into the water, but not before then - this guy is always capable of producing something special," claimed Bjorn, who was over the back of the final green in two. It meant that Bjorn could take the safe option and play for a finishing par which gave him a final round 69 for 22-under-par 266, two shots clear of Woods and Harrington.

Until Saturday's third round, Woods and Bjorn had effectively fought out a personal duel in the desert. Then, Harrington produced a round of 64 to move to three shots behind Woods and two adrift of Bjorn going into the final round.

By Harrington's ninth hole yesterday, his third birdie of the front nine actually moved him into the lead on his own. Admittedly, it wasn't held for long, as Woods - in the final group behind him - also birdied the hole to draw level.

Bjorn, at this stage, was seeking, apparently in vain, some inspiration. But it came in dramatic fashion at the 10th where he sank a 20-foot eagle putt to move to within a shot of Woods, who birdied the hole, and level with Harrington.

Up ahead, Harrington's flow - which had seen him play some majestic golf on the front nine - started to unfold. He suffered what he described as a "painful" bogey on the 12th when, faced with an approach of 201 yards up the hill and into the wind, he hit a "glorious four-iron" that sailed over the green. He chipped back to six feet, but missed the putt.

Although he pulled back a birdie at the next, his rhythm was further interrupted on the 14th when a spectator behind him moved as he drove off the tee. The shot was pulled into desert terrain and, after a free drop because of a hoarding, Harrington made a good par.

His flow was halted completely, though, when he pulled his seven-iron teeshot at the 180-yard 15th and, then, duffed his chip out of greenside rough. That bogey pushed Harrington back to 19-underpar, and effectively turned it back into a battle between Bjorn and Woods.

Indeed, after a marathon slugging match, it was all decided over the final two holes: Bjorn covered them in one-under, Woods in two-over. That three-shot swing enabled Bjorn to leapfrog over Woods and claim his sixth European Tour title, but one he described as "the best performance of my life so far".

Bjorn, though, was a little frustrated after a front-nine that saw him fail to make any inroads on Woods and, also, witnessed him falling behind Harrington.

"I was nervous, but I play well when I'm nervous. I don't speak to my caddie and I don't smile. I'm wired on being nervous and I knew it was just a matter of time. I'm a good back nine player on a Sunday."

He never lost conviction in himself, always searching for a way back at the Tiger. It came with that birdie on the 17th that brought him level. After finding the fairway himself on the 18th, he knew exactly where Woods' tee-shot was destined once he hit it.

"I knew that if he didn't hit it left of the big tree with a hook, that it was in the trees." That's precisely what happened and Bjorn, a wintertime resident in Dubai, could cherish a prized win.

For Bjorn, the satisfaction of going head-to-head with Woods over four days and winning was a huge boost to his confidence. "Tiger's very impressive and wins a lot of tournaments, but the intimidation is disappearing. People are now realising you can't get intimidated by him, you have to go out and beat him. It's as simple as that: I went out with one thing in mind, to win the golf tournament.

"A lot of people talk about Tiger being in a slump, but that is so much out of proportion. The guy is playing fantastic golf and is still the greatest player in the world. He just hasn't won for a couple of weeks."

Woods, for his part, was magnanimous in defeat. "Hats off to Thomas, he deserves the title . . . I didn't really feel as comfortable as I needed to feel on the final day with my golf swing and my putting stroke," he remarked.

Bjorn, though, was talking of the future and how going head-to-head with Woods for four days has given him a new confidence in his ability.

"I know if I can beat him, then I can beat the rest of the guys in America," remarked the Dane.

He'll know soon enough. After playing in this week's Qatar Masters, Bjorn will take in a four-tournament stint in the United States that will finish at Hilton Head the week after the Masters. The Americans can expect to find a Dane with a spring in his step.