Golf: Jimenez secures victory

MIGUEL ANGEL JIMENEZ won a see-saw battle with his fellow Spaniard Miguel Angel Martin for his third European Tour victory in windy Majorca yesterday as he fired a closing 72 to capture the Turespana Masters- Balearic Open by two strokes.

A pitch from the rough to six feet for a birdie at the 350-yard 17th proved to be the decisive stroke. Jimenez finished on a nine-under-par total of 279, with Martin, also 72, seven under and Ireland's Paul McGinley and Japan's Katsuyoshi joint third.

Tiger Woods went into overdrive to secure a third-round lead in the BellSouth Classic with a career-best 63 at the rain-hit Sugarloaf course in Georgia.

The young American sensation took a major step towards ending the longest winless run of his American Tour career by equalling the course record.

His huge following cheered every shot as Woods - without a Tour victory since the Western Open last July - seized the lead with three straight birdies for a 17-under 199 total - three shots clear of Jay Don Blake.

Blake was left in awe at Woods' performance - and his popularity with the public. "Tiger is a different style. He brings 30,000 out just to watch him play. It's going to be a madhouse tomorrow."