LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. — Tiger Woods added another amazing chapter to his storybook start as a professional golfer by winning the Disney Classic yesterday after it appeared that he would be in a playoff with a fellow PGA tour rookie.
Woods shot a 6-under-par 66 at the Magnolia Course to finish at 21-under-par 267 and capture his second tour event in three weeks. The score was 1 shot better than Payne Stewart, whose 10-foot birdie putt for a tie at No. 18 grazed the left lip of the cup.
Taylor Smith, a 29-year-old tour rookie seeking his first victory, also finished at 21-under, but was disqualified for having an illegal grip on his putter.
Smith was notified of the disqualification on the ninth hole, when he was 18-under and trailing Woods by 2 strokes. Tour officials allowed him to keep playing while he appealed, and he made an eight-foot birdie putt on No. 18 to apparently tie Woods.
Smith had used a 44-inch split-grip putter. United States Golf Association rules state that a putter with two separate grips must have grips that are perfectly round - Smith's are oval shaped and flattened on one side. Smith's appeal to the USGA was denied.
``I didn't care if I didn't make a penny this week, I wanted to get to 22 under par, so that I would know that I won the tournament,'' Smith said.
Said Woods: ``I have mixed emotions. I feel like I should have been in a playoff. I feel bad for Taylor because he played his heart out.''
The $216,000 winner's check gave Woods $734,794 in just seven pro starts. He is No. 23 on the money list, which qualifies him for next week's Tour Championship at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Okla. The win also put him 14th on the Ryder Cup points list.
``He can do things that I can't do,'' said Stewart, who carded a 67.
Woods, who won his first pro title two weeks ago in Las Vegas and finished second last week in the Texas Open, has had an unprecedented run of success since he turned pro eight weeks ago after winning his third straight U.S. Amateur title.
``I was just hoping to get my [PGA tour] card,'' Woods said, standing on the 18th green with the Disney character Tigger.
``I had seven chances, and if I couldn't get my card I was going to go to Q-school [qualifying school],'' he said. ``Luckily, I was playing real well coming off the Amateur.''
Woods had to fight 18 holes against Stewart, a winner of seven tournaments and two major championships.
