DUBAI, United Arab Emirates — Tiger Woods watched his 25-foot putt race down the slope and bend toward the cup, then he skipped backward and punched the desert air in celebration when it disappeared into the cup for a final birdie.
So ended his spectacular charge Sunday to win the Dubai Desert Classic over Ernie Els, a familiar victim. Woods birdied his last two holes, and five of his last seven, for a 7-under 65 to start his season with two victories that looked nothing alike.
One week was an eight-shot victory at the Buick Invitational. The next week was his largest comeback in eight years when Woods rallied from a four-shot deficit with an array of impressive shots that make him look tougher to beat than he already is.
“I’m just happy to get a win out of this,” Woods said.
It was the third time Woods has started his season 2-0, another sign that he could be headed for a big year. He now has won his last four official tournaments, and six of his last seven dating to the Bridgestone Invitational in early August. Woods also won his unofficial Target World Challenge by seven shots in December.
“It’s the ideal start, isn’t it?” Woods said. “You play to win. So far, I’ve done that this year.”
Woods finished at 14-under 274 for a one-shot win over Martin Kaymer of Germany. Woods had already posted his score when Kaymer, who won two weeks ago in Abu Dhabi, closed birdie-birdie-eagle for a 66.
But the real victim was Els.
He started the final round with a one-shot lead over Henrik Stenson and was four shots clear of Woods. The 38-year-old South African missed par putts inside 5 feet on the 11th and 12th holes to lose the lead, but he still had a chance to force a playoff with a birdie on the par-5 18th. Instead, Els hit 5-wood that came up well short and ended up in the water.
He finished with a bogey for a 71 and tied for third with Louis Oosthuizen.
It was a devastating blow to Els, who stared at the ground as he walked toward the 18th green. He is in the middle of a three-year plan to overtake Woods at No. 1 in the world, and said at the start of his season that he needed to start winning.
Reaching No. 1 now looks like a lost cause, as Woods has more than double the points over second-ranked Phil Mickelson. When asked about the gap over Mickelson, Woods quipped, “I thought Ian Poulter was No. 2?”
That was a reference to Poulter being quoted in a British magazine that he was the only one capable of challenging the world’s No. 1 player. Poulter closed with a 76 on Sunday and tied for 39th.
It was the largest comeback for Woods since he made up a five-shot deficit at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in 2000, a final round that included holing out from the 15th fairway.
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