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Tiger’s PGA Tour reign ends at Doral

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South Florida Sun-Sentinel

DORAL, Fla. -- Geoff Ogilvy was born for such moments.

He’s a descendant of Robert the Bruce, the Scottish king of Bannockburn fame who broke the ruthless reign of England’s King Edward I almost 700 years ago. His bloodlines perfectly suited him for leading a rebellion of his own Monday at the CA Championship at Doral.

Ogilvy ended the run of Sir Eldrick Woods.

That, of course, would be Tiger Woods.

With a trusty wedge and a steady hand, Ogilvy closed out the weather-suspended final round of the CA Championship with nine straight pars Monday morning to score a wire-to-wire victory.

He didn’t just end Woods’ run of seven consecutive worldwide victories and five straight PGA Tour wins. He held off three other major-championship winners closing in on him.

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With a final-round one-under-par 71, Ogilvy claimed the $1.35-million first-place check and the Gene Sarazen Trophy. His 17-under 271 total was a shot better than three-time major-championship winner Vijay Singh (68), two-time U.S. Open winner Retief Goosen (68) and U.S. Open winner Jim Furyk (68).

“With most people giving the tournament to one guy, it’s very, very satisfying,” Ogilvy told fans at the trophy presentation.

That guy would be Woods, who lost for the first time since September, when Phil Mickelson beat him head to head at the Deutsche Bank Championship outside Boston.

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“We are glad, yes,” Goosen said of the streak’s end.

“I’m sure the media is not glad, but we, as players, it’s nice to see somebody else lift a trophy for a change.”

Ogilvy was asked whether the attention Woods’ streak received was oppressive in nature for the rest of the game’s best players.

“It’s not oppressive really that he wins all the time,” said Ogilvy, an Australian with a home in Scottsdale, Ariz. “It’s not like if he wasn’t winning them, I would definitely be winning them. It’s frustrating that everyone in the world basically says no one else is trying, including half the people in this [media] room.

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“The fact he’s winning, it’s quite fun to watch him sometimes. It’s fun to watch the fans get so excited about stuff. The frustrating thing is that people think that we’re not trying and we’re flying the white flag. I don’t think that’s true in any case.”

Ogilvy, 30, surprised himself winning without a birdie in Monday’s back-nine finish. His best shot saved a par at the 13th hole, where he chipped in from 30 feet.

Ogilvy won the U.S. Open in 2006 with a similar par-saving chip. When he won at Winged Foot, he chipped in for par at the 71st hole. Monday’s chip helped him end Woods’ run of three straight victories on the Blue Monster.

Woods tried to mount a run Monday morning, rolling in an 18-foot birdie putt at No. 12 on his first hole after play resumed. He also birdied the 15th and 17th holes to get within two shots, but he could get no closer.

“I made too many mistakes this week,” Woods said.

His trusty putter failed him. He had four three-putts on the week.

Singh had a chance to force a playoff by holing a 23-foot chip from the back of the 18th green. The ball stopped inches short.

“Geoff played well,” Singh said. “I have to give him credit.”

Ogilvy made only one bogey the entire tournament, at the seventh hole in the final round.

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