Ernie Els collected his second victory of 2002 and his first on the US PGA Tour for 19 months when he held off a late charge from Tiger Woods to win the Genuity Championship at Doral Golf Resort & Spa. The South African finished with a level par 72 for a 17 under par total of 271 to secure the title by two strokes.
Els had led by eight strokes going into the final round but World Number One Woods, encouraged by three birdies to start his day, shot a six under par 66 to finish runner-up two behind with European Tour Member Peter Lonard producing an outstanding performance to finish third.
Ironically, Woods had come from eight shots back to win the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1998, but on this occasion Els, an Honorary Life Member of The European Tour, held on gamely to lift his ninth title on the US PGA Tour.
Els now heads for the Dubai Desert Classic on The European Tour this week, aiming to win on a third difference continent in 2002 following his victories in the Heineken Classic in Australia and his latest success in Miami.
Woods finished on 273 with Lonard’’s closing round of 70 taking him within four shots of Woods in third. There were other strong finishes by European Tour Members, Argentina’’s Angel Cabrera shooting a last round 67 for tied fifth on 280, the same mark as Vijay Singh.
