Howell tames Woods to lift HSBC Champions Title

David Howell

England's David Howell enjoyed his biggest career victory when he beat world number one Tiger Woods in a thrilling head-to-head duel to lift the inaugural US$5 million HSBC Champions Title in China.

The 30-year-old Howell fired a final round of four-under-par 68 to win Asia's richest tournament by three strokes from Woods.  Australian Nick O'Hern and Nick Dougherty of England shared third place, six strokes behind the champion, while Asia's best finisher was Thailand's Thaworn Wiratchant in equal eighth position.

Howell totalled a superb 20-under-par 268 for the week and was the only player to shoot all four rounds in the 60's.  He also prevailed in a classic David vs Goliath battle, going toe-to-toe with the 10-time major champion and triumphed.  The underdog enjoyed a superb start with four birdies over his opening seven holes to extend his overnight one shot lead to four.

Bogeys on the eighth and ninth holes left the door slightly ajar for Woods but Howell, the world's number 19, showed his class by bouncing straight back with birdies on 10 and 12. It was all over when Woods sent his tee shot into the hazard on the short par four 16th.

"Well, this is maybe something I have dreamed of but probably didn't think was going to come true. Obviously this is a big, new event, and we came here looking for a good finish. You end up in the last group with the lead playing with the world's number one player, and you know it's going to be a big day in your career.

"Obviously I'm quite pleased with the way I handled myself, and was able to come out on top," said Howell, whose third European Tour triumph was worth US$833,300.

As Howell reduced Woods to his second straight runner-up finish, the Englishman said his HSBC Champions triumph would be long remembered. "We're all honored as golfers to have the chance to try and beat him. So I guess any time anyone plays against Tiger in the last day like today, it's almost like the FA Cup Final for the underdogs and I was able to come on top.

"I was nervous all day but I'm not so sure if it was because of Tiger, strangely. It was a big tournament and I wanted to win. Tiger can't affect me, he can't punch me like a boxing match, he can't hit the ball at me like a tennis match. He can only shoot a score and I can only shoot a score, so I was more worried with how I coped with myself," said Howell.

The 29-year-old Woods, winner of the US Masters and British Open this season, was disappointed to settle for second best after last week's US PGA Tour Championship. "David got off to a wonderful start. I was four back and then he makes a couple of bogeys. On the 10th, I hit the best putt I hit all day and it doesn't go in and David holes his. That's a big swing there," said Woods, who sparked Tiger-mania in Shanghai with his appearance in the HSBC Champions.

With holes running out, Woods, known for his amazing ability to stage great comebacks, tried to drive the par four 16th hole but found the hazard as his title hopes vanished. The American however treated the large galleries with a finishing birdie, easily hitting the par five green in two.

Two New Zealand "champions" were in the field - Michael Campbell due to his US Open victory and Richard Lee courtesy of his win in the Thailand Open earlier in the year.  Both got off to excellent starts, with Campbell going onto finish in 10th place, after a dissappointing final round 73.

After a first round 68, Richard Lee was 3-under in his first four holes of the second round, only to dissappear off the leaderboard late in the round and finished with a 77 and ended the tournament in a tie for 59th.

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