POIPU, Hawaii -- Tiger Woods has proven he can win playing aggressive golf. This time, he showed he can also win with patience.
Playing in a howling wind and rain squalls, Woods captured the PGA Grand Slam of Golf Wednesday by defeating PGA Championship winner Vijay Singh 2-up."It was a rough day," Woods said after slogging over Kauai's Poipu Bay Resort Course in the match play competition. "Conditions were awfully hard, very difficult, very demanding.
"You had to be very patient, execute the shots you had to execute and keep your patience. Today was one of those days if you lose your patience, you lose the match very quickly."
Woods' patience was evident in his bid for the top prize of $400,000. He didn't lead until the 15th hole, and he didn't clinch the tournament until the 17th when he rolled in a 12-foot birdie putt.
Singh still had an opportunity on the closing hole, a downwind 550-yard par 5, but his second shot bounced into the Pacific Ocean, while Woods laid up.
U.S. Open winner Lee Janzen, who lost to Woods Tuesday, didn't take the lead until the 17th hole, but it was enough to earn a 1-up victory over Mark O'Meara for third place in the exclusive four-man tournament. It was worth $200,000.
WORLD CUP OF GOLF: At Whangaparaoa, New Zealand, John Daly and Nick Faldo were overshadowed by winless Japanese golfer Yasuharu Imano in the opening round of the World Cup of Golf.
Imano shot an 8-under 64 to help Japan take the early lead in the 32-nation team competition. His teammate, Mitsutaka Kusakabe, shot a 70 to give Japan a 10-under 134 total, three shots ahead of second-place South Africa.
Daly and teammate Scott Verplank shot 70s, leaving the Americans six strokes back. Faldo's 68, combined with David Carter's 73, left England at 141, seven back.