WOODS WRAPS UP FEDEX

CUP WITH VICTORY BY

EIGHT STROKES

FROM THE A O L GOLF NEWS SERVICE

Tiger Woods chalked up another notable first in his career when he became the first FedEx Cup winner on the US PGA Tour.

Tiger shot the lowest 72-hole total of his career to blow away the field and clinch the Tour Championship by eight strokes on Sunday.
Woods led throughout the final round, shooting a four-under-par 66 in pleasant conditions at East Lake in the final event of the new FedEx Cup play-off series. He carded a 23-under-par 257 overall, two strokes better than his previous best total of 21-under at the 2000 NEC Invitational.
He said: "It's been just a phenomenal week. I really played well today and hit a bunch of good shots. I got on a good birdie run in the middle of the round and put it away."
Woods also smashed the Tour Championship record low score at the same time as securing his fourth victory in his past five starts and clinching the FedEx Cup title. He posted his 61st win on the US PGA Tour, remaining fifth on the all-time list but just one victory behind Arnold Palmer.
Woods started the final round with a three-shot advantage over Mark Calcavecchia and was a little shaky early on with a bogey at the par-three second followed by a three-metre par save at the next.
However, he soon found his swing, picking up three birdies in four holes starting at the sixth to go four shots clear at the turn. The back nine was pretty much a lap of honour as Woods added three more birdies before bogeying the 17th.
He shattered the Tour Championship record by six strokes and not only collected 10 million US dollars (£4,986,000) for winning the FedEx Cup, but also received 1.26 million dollars (£628,000) for winning the tournament.
Woods decided after a mediocre performance at the Open in July to modify his swing, and spent the following week at home working on the changes.
He added: "It's interesting how people questioned whether I should try and improve my game or not, and here we are. My driving has gotten better. I feel I'm able to work the ball better both ways and land the ball the number I want to land it on."
Calcavecchia, who tied for second with fellow American Zach Johnson, said of Woods: "When he bombs it down there in the fairway, his distance control is so good with his short irons, and putting he's the best ever, period."

LEADING FINAL TOTALS

Par 280 (4 x 70)

257 Tiger Woods 64 63 64 66
265 Mark Calcavecchia 65 66 63 71, Zach Johnson 71 66 60 68
266 Sergio Garcia (Spa) 68 64 64 70
269 Hunter Mahan 65 68 65 71, Scott Verplank 66 68 67 68
270 Vijay Singh (Fij) 68 68 65 69, Tim Clark (Rsa) 62 69 70 69
271 Rory Sabbatini (Rsa) 68 68 67 68, Camilo Villegas (Col) 67 68 70 66
273 Justin Rose (Eng) 69 71 66 67, Jim Furyk 71 69 67 66, Robert Allenby (Aus) 68 71 68 66, Woody Austin 65 65 69 74, Stewart Cink 67 66 71 69, Padraig Harrington (Irl) 63 70 67 73
274 Steve Stricker 69 67 71 67, Slocum Heath 71 64 69 70, Geoff Ogilvy (Aus) 68 70 62 74
275 Phil Mickelson 68 66 70 71
276 KJ Choi (Kor) 67 65 75 69, Boo Weekley 70 67 68 71
277 Jonathan Byrd 71 70 65 71
278 Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 69 70 68 71
279 John Rollins 64 69 73 73
280 Adam Scott (Aus) 65 66 71 78, Ernie Els (Rsa) 69 69 73 69
282 Brett Wetterich 68 69 70 75, Brandt Snedeker 71 72 68 71, Charles Howell III 68 71 69 74