Golf story by Brian Watters, Mon, 30 Jan 2006 14:24:00 GMT


SAN DIEGO - Tiger Woods was lucky to seal a win at the Buick Invitational yesterday as Jose Maria Olazabal failed to hold his nerve and lipped out a 4-foot putt to par in the sudden-death play-off against the champion. This was Woods' 47th PGA Tour title.

Woods pulled off an 8-foot birdie on the 18th hole to walk away with the title leaving Olazabal and Australian rookie Nathan Green to rue their mistakes. Green's 3-wood shot reached the grandstand and he subsequently failed to make the green and ended up with a bogey. "It's not how you want to win," Woods said after the game.

"I had a chance to make birdie on 18 in the playoff and end it right there. You don't ever take joy out of seeing friends do that." This was also the fourth time in over a decade that Woods has won the season opener here. "Of all the things that happened today, I said, 'At least you have a chance.' I shouldn't have had that opportunity," Woods said of his final shots. "I flipped it around, turned it into a positive situation. It felt good coming off the putter and found its way to the bottom."

The 30-year-old Woods added that this was an ideal way to start the season. Green was disappointed with his final day performance, but was happy with his overall showing, "To come over and achieve what I've achieved I couldn't have scripted it any better than that," he said.

"There's nothing to be disappointed about. I've been an overachiever for the week. I had a ball out there today. Playing in front of these sort of crowds, with these sort of players, it was great. I just didn't want to lose it, that was the main thing. I just wanted to try to get in the clubhouse."

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