O'Hair Wins PODS Championship

It might not be on a midnight train, but next month Sean O’Hair will have the pleasure of leaving for Georgia.

He took advantage of a stunning collapse by Stewart Cink and won the PODS Championship at Palm Harbor, Fla.

O’Hair, who closed with a 2-under 69 on Sunday for a 4-under 280 total, won a trip to the Masters.

It was his first victory since the John Deere Classic as a 22-year-old rookie in 2005, which got him into the British Open at St. Andrews. This victory sends him to Augusta National next month, and he will move into the top 40 in the world to qualify for the World Golf Championship at Doral in two weeks.

“This is not going to hurt my confidence,” said O’Hair, a native of Lubbock, Texas. “I’m looking forward to the rest of the year.”

Cink suffered a loss perhaps even more devastating than the Accenture Match Play Championship blowout against Tiger Woods. Cink had a 4-shot lead after two holes Sunday, still had control on the back nine and then dropped 4 shots in a four-hole stretch along the back nine of the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook.

PODS Championship - Day 3 Wrap

Stewart Cink played the last of his 28 holes Saturday in near darkness, eager to finish a day of the toughest conditions the PGA Tour has seen this year. Even after his lone bogey in the third round for a 2-under 69, he couldn't wait to get started today in Palm Harbor, Fla.

Playing in 30 mph wind at the PODS Championship for the better part of 12 hours, Cink's fortunes turned quickly when he ran off three straight birdies and went from four shots down to a two-shot lead that likely puts him in the final group for the third time this year.

He was at 5-under 208, two shots ahead of former U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy. Only nine players remained under par.

Brandt Snedeker, who had a four-shot lead until his momentum changed on a three-putt from 12 feet, was at 3 under with three to play. Billy Mayfair also was at 3 under playing the 16th hole when darkness suspended play.

Cink had to play 28 holes, none of them easy after play was called for storms on Friday.

"I've got to keep pushing," said Cink, who hasn't won since Firestone in 2004. "My goal is to give no one a chance tomorrow."

The wind was raging at dawn and never let until the final minutes of daylight, so strong that players who were hitting a 9-iron into the 18th green in the opening round were pulling a 3-iron or more on Saturday...

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Tiger wins the Accenture Match Play Championship

Tiger Woods romped to his eighth title in nine tournament appearances by crushing fellow American Stewart Cink 8&7 in Sunday's final at the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship.

Four up after dominating the morning round, the world number one reeled off three consecutive birdies from the 24th hole before sealing victory with a sparkling approach to two feet for a conceded birdie on the 29th green.

It was his third triumph in 10 editions of the elite World Golf Championships (WGC) events and his sixth successive tournament win worldwide.

In claiming his 63rd PGA Tour title, Woods edged ahead of Arnold Palmer into fourth place in the all-time standings. Only Sam Snead (82), Jack Nicklaus (73) and Ben Hogan (64) have won more.

Accenture Match Play Championship Day 4

Tiger Woods continues to push the bar even higher as he takes aim at his third Accenture Match Play Championship victory in the title bout where he’ll face Stewart Cink in an all-American final at The Gallery Golf Club just north of Tucson. Woods captured back-to-back Accenture tournaments in 2003 and 2004.

“It was fun to get into position and be able to execute,” said Tiger Woods after his semi-final round.

Two former Accenture Match Play champions produced a sensational semi-final match for the gallery. Henrik Stenson battled courageously before Woods prevailed, 2 up, and sent the Swede to the consolation match. It was the first time in the 10-year history of the storied World Golf Championships event that two former Accenture Match Play champions went head-to-head in a semifinal match.

Woods and K.J. Choi were locked in a tight quarterfinal duel before Woods turned it up a notch on the back nine, defeating the South Korean, 3 and 2, after 16 holes to move on to his semi-final match. Woods is 20-4 in match play against international players. Three of his four loses came at the hands of Australians; Peter O’Malley in ’02, twice to Nick O’Hern in ‘05 and ’07, and Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke in the 2000 title round. Tiger Woods improved his Accenture Match Play record to 30-6 in his ninth year playing the storied event.

On his way to reaching the championship round, Stewart Cink put on a match-play seminar, making five birdies and one eagle through nine holes in his semifinal match against Justin Leonard as he cruised to 4 and 2 victory. Leonard will now face Henrik Stenson in the consolation match.