Woods Falters, U.S. Knocked Out of Dunhill

L.A. Times Archives

Oct. 12, 1998 12 AM PT

From Associated Press

Tiger Woods missed a four-foot putt on the final hole Sunday, eliminating the U.S. team from the Dunhill Cup at St. Andrews, Scotland.

The blown putt concluded a round in which Woods squandered a four-stroke lead and the U.S. lost its semifinal with Spain.

With a lineup of Woods, Masters and British Open champion Mark O’Meara and John Daly, the Americans were big favorites to win the 16-nation championship for the fourth time.

But Woods and O’Meara struggled on the final day.

“I had a chance but pulled a couple of putts at the last two holes,” said Woods, who finished at par 72 to lose by one stroke.

The victory sent Spain to its first Dunhill Cup final, which it lost to South Africa, winner of the $1.67 million championship for the second year in a row.

David Duval shot a three-under-par 68 in the final round of the Michelob Championship in Williamsburg, Va., for his seventh victory in the last 364 days.

Duval shot a 16-under 268 total in beating Phil Tataurangi.

Once known as Mr. Runnerup because of his seven second-place finishes before his breakthrough playoff victory here last year, Duval has now won seven times in his last 24 events to become the first player since Tom Watson to win as many in a calendar year. Watson won eight times in 1979-80.

“I always thought I would win golf tournaments . . . but to have it happen seven times in 12 months was not reasonable to expect,” Duval said. “If this is some type of dream, I certainly don’t want to wake up any time soon.”

Jim Colbert, winless since undergoing prostate cancer surgery in July 1997, shot a five-under-par 67 to win the The Transamerica by one stroke over Senior PGA Tour rookie David Lundstrom, who shot a 69 finished at 10-under 206 at Napa, Calif.

Kelly Robbins closed with a two-under-par 70 at Opelika, Ala., and won the LPGA Tournament of Champions, her first victory since the opening event of the season. Robbins finished with a 12-under 276 total, four shots better than runner-up Juli Inkster.

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Final Results

Sunday’s winners:

$1.9-MILLION MICHELOB CHAMPIONSHIPS--Par 71

D. Duval: 65-67-68-68-268 -16

P. Tataurangi: 65-68-69-69-271 -13

B. Cheesman: 69-68-69-66-272 -12

P. Stewart: 70-67-67-69-273 -11

B. Hughes: 68-67-69-69-273 -11

$750,000 LPGA TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS--Par 72

K. Robbins: 66-73-67-70-276 -12

J. Inkster: 67-73-71-69-280 -8