Tiger Stumbles, Westwood Wins

May 18, 2000 / 9:47 PM EDT / CBS/AP

One bad shot sank Tiger Woods in the Deutsche Bank Open on Sunday and for just the second time in his career, he failed to win a tournament that he led after 54 holes.

England's Lee Westwood finished in front by three strokes while Woods settled for a third place tie, ending a streak of 16 events worldwide that he had won after leading through three rounds. The last time he failed to win under those circumstances was the 1996 Quad City Open.

Woods tumbled out of the Deutsche Bank lead when his second shot on the 11th hole landed in the water, leading to a double bogey. The approach shot missed the green, bounced high off a bank and plummeted into a water trap.

"I just hit a bad shot at the wrong time, which cost me a wonderful chance to win the tournament," said Woods, who reportedly was paid $1 million to defend his title.

Woods finished at 277 with a 2-under 70 at the $2.3 million event, Europe's third-richest prize.

Westwood, breaking out of the worst slump of his career, blistered the course on a warm windless day for the tournament's best round of 8-under-par 64. He finished at 15-under 273, with Italy's Emanuele Canonica second at 276.

"It's great to win," said Westwood, "I wasn't even thinking of winning, but it certainly gives you a lot of satisfaction when you beat the world's No. 1 because there is nobody better than him."

Westwood won $408,000 with his first official tour title this season he won at Sun City after finishing 76th and 54th in his last two events. In the past two years he won seven times.

Westwood, who broke down in despair in front of reporters over his slump just last week, said he got a lift from being paired with Woods during the first two rounds.

The English Ryder Cup player, playing one group ahead, also said he knew something had happened with Woods on the 11th.

"I had a little peek around," Westwood said. "I heard an `oooh,' (from the crowd) when I was on the 12th tee."

Canonica was at 12-under 276 while France's Jean Van De Velde and 1991 Masters' champion Ian Woosnam joined Woods at 277.

The event had assembled one of Europe's toughest fields this year with the entire Ryder Cup playing in the same tournament for the first time since losing to the Americans at Brookline last year.

Woods held a two-stroke lead after Saturday's third round, but after a fog delay, numerous top players got off to a blisterin start and caught him before he teed off.

Still, Woods never lost the lead, although at various times he was joined atop the leaderboard by four or five players.

But right after Woods and Westwood matched birdies to pull a stroke clear of Colin Montgomerie and Canonica, he followed with the double bogey.

While Westwood, who also had a 61 at the course two years ago, added another of his eight birdies for the day on the next hole to move two ahead, Woods followed with another bogey on the 14th.

"I was trying to put it 10 feet left of the flag and roll it in there," said Woods of the double bogey. "I hit two bad shots (today) which cost me three strokes."

Woods said he found it amazing that Westwood was in the worst slump of his career until the tournament started.

"Hard to figure, but that's golf for you," said the 24-year-old. "He played beautifully today. He needed to go out and be aggressive and make some birdies and he was able to keep that up all day."

Woods helped draw more than 60,000 spectators to the event, a total in Germany equaled only by last year's tournament which he played in at Heidelberg.