Tiger Woods held on to clinch his second Players Championship by two strokes on Sunday after long-time adversary Sergio Garcia spectacularly imploded on his last two holes.
Spaniard Garcia shared the lead on 13-under with Woods when he teed off at the short but treacherous 17th, but hit into the water twice to crash to a quadruple bogey, after the World No 1 had parred the famed island hole.
The 2001 champion Woods parred the 18th to complete a two-under 70 for a 13-under total of 275, surviving a late challenge from Sweden’s David Lingmerth at the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass.
The impressive rookie Lingmerth missed a monster putt to bogey the last hole for a 72, and finished tied for second with Americans Jeff Maggert (70) and Kevin Streelman (67).
Garcia, the 2008 champion, compounded his miserable finish by finding water on the 18th to sign off with a double-bogey and plunge well down the leaderboard.
Woods had appeared in complete command, and led by two strokes before stumbling at the 14th after hooking his tee shot into the water on the left.
“It was a tough battle. I felt like was in control of it after I birdied 12 and gave it right back at 14 with a double,” said Woods after claiming his 78th PGA victory in his 300th career start.
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