THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Davis Love III walked away with the largest check of his career. Tiger Woods made sure he earned every penny.
Love made a 45-foot birdie putt on the 16th hole to finally breathe easy Sunday at the Target World Challenge, closing with an even-par 72 for a two-shot victory over Woods.
But Woods made him sweat on a chilly, mostly rainy day at Sherwood Country Club.
Trailing by 10 shots with 10 holes to play, Woods unleashed six birdies in seven holes and closed the deficit to a single shot.
He finished with two pars for a 65, then went to the clubhouse to see where it would leave him. Within minutes, Woods was dressed in blue jeans and sneakers.
He watched from the grill room as Love spun his wedge back 45 feet from the cup, below a ridge on the par-5 16th, then rolled it in for birdie and a two-shot margin with two holes to play.
Love clinched it with a bunker shot to 3 feet for par on No. 18. He finished at 11-under 277 and won $1.2 million from the $5 million purse.
"When he birdied five holes in a row, I knew the game was on," Love said. "And I had to play hard."
His largest paycheck had been $1.17 million at The Players Championship, one of his four PGA Tour victories this year.
This one doesn't count in the record books, but it still was plenty meaningful.
Love won against a world-class field that featured the top 12 players available from the world ranking and four sponsor's exemptions — two of them major champions.
He became the first repeat winner of the Target World Challenge since Woods created it five years ago. Love also won in 2000, the first year it was at Sherwood.
Woods earned $700,000, which he donated to his Tiger Woods Foundation.
Harrington closed with a 71 and finished third at 282. Masters champion and Draper resident Mike Weir (72) and Justin Leonard (71) were at 284.
K.J. Choi, who played in the final group with Love, had a 77 and was at 285.