GOLF: To the surprise of nobody, Tiger Woods completed his third win in five starts on the US Tour in the Ford Championship at Doral yesterday.

It was far from plain sailing, however, as the world number one was pressed all the way by former US PGA champion David Toms before emerging with a one-stroke victory after a final round of 69 for a 20-under-par aggregate of 268.

Woods, two ahead with a round to go, increased that to three over the opening five holes and held on over the challenging final holes as Tom mounted a strong charge.

As they headed into the back nine, Toms narrowed the gap to one stroke with back-to-back birdies at the 10th and 11th but Woods responded quickly with his own birdies - from 12 feet at the 11th and a two-putt effort at the par five 12th.

Toms refused to lie down, however, and birdied the 16th to narrow the margin again and Woods showed rare fallibility in failing to get up and down for par from behind the 17th green.

Down the famous finishing hole at the Blue Monster course, Toms charged his birdie putt 12 feet past the hole and missed the one back, taking the pressure off the defending champion.

Woods still made hard work of it, however, putting his second into a greenside bunker. From there he played out 12 feet short and two-putted for victory.

Padraig Harrington finished with a level-par 72 for a nine-under-par aggregate of 279. Going along nicely at two under for his round after 12 holes, his hopes were dashed with bogeys at the 13th and 14th.