Golf : Woods leaves his challenge too late

Mark O'Meara held off a sustained challenge from Tiger Woods to secure a one-shot victory in the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am in California for the fifth time since 1985.

Woods birdied the 16th and 17th, but O'Meara responded in kind to take a two-stroke lead to the last. Woods missed a 40-foot eagle putt on the 18th and finished with an eight-under-par round of 64 and a final total of 269, 19 under.

It was an incredible finish by Woods, who was 10 strokes behind after 36 holes but played the last 36 holes in only 127, shooting a 63 on Saturday.

O'Meara's 268 broke the tournament record set by Peter Jacobsen in 1995 by three strokes. "I really didn't play well this week," O'Meara said. "I just kept my composure and putted well."

Nick Faldo and Sandy Lyle both had disappointing final rounds, Faldo finishing with a 73 for a total of 282, 14 shots behind O'Meara, and Lyle a 74 to finish a shot further back.

n Tony Jacklin tied for fifth place behind the winner, Gibby Gilbert, at the Royal Caribbean Classic in Florida. Jacklin ended with a three- round final total of 208, five under par, six shots adrift of Gilbert. Scotland's Brian Barnes finished on of 225.

Scores, Digest, page 23