Woods closed with a 2-under 69 - at one point going 41 holes without a bogey on a Congressional course that was tougher than when it held the U.S. Open last year - and won for the third time this year. It was the 74th win of his career, moving him past Jack Nicklaus into second place on the PGA Tour, eight short of Sam Snead's record.
"I remember there was a time when people were saying I could never win again," said Woods, who only five months ago walked off the course at Doral with another injury to his left Achilles tendon.
Van Pelt had Woods on the ropes on the par-5 16th by ripping a 345-yard tee shot and having only a 6-iron into the green. Woods hit a spectator in the left rough with his tee shot, laid up, and then attacked a back flag only to see the ball tumble over the green and down an eight-foot slope. It looked as if it might be a 2-shot swing for Van Pelt, or at least the lead going to the 17th.
That's when Van Pelt answered with unforced errors of his own. His 6-iron was slightly heavy and didn't quite reach the bunker, meaning he had to plant his feet in the sand and grip the wedge on the shaft for his third shot. He moved it only a few yards, still in the collar of the rough, and chipped about 12 feet by the hole. Woods' chip up the slope rolled 15 feet by, and he missed the par putt.
Van Pelt also missed his par putt, and they walked away from that mess still tied for the lead.
Brendon de Jonge of Zimbabwe, who had a 1-shot lead going into the final round, didn't make birdie and closed with a 77. Adam Scott went out in 31 and was briefly tied for the lead until a few bogeys on the back nine. He had to settle for a 67, which put him alone in third at 5 under.
Billy Hurley, the Annapolis graduate who spent five years in the Navy, closed with a 72 and tied for fourth along with Robert Garrigus (70), Jhonattan Vegas (71) and Seung-yul Noh of South Korea, who had a 73.
LPGA Tour
ROGERS, Ark. - Ai Miyazato shot a 6-under 65 to overcome a 5-shot deficit and hold off a crowded leaderboard at the NW Arkansas Championship, for her second LPGA Tour victory of the year and ninth overall.
Her five-foot birdie putt on No. 18 sent Miyazato to 12 under for the tournament, and her victory at Pinnacle Country Club was secured one group later when Mika Miyazato missed a 15-foot birdie attempt on No. 18.
Ai Miyazato had seven birdies and one bogey in the final round to finish 1 stroke ahead of Mika Miyazato and Azahara Munoz. Ai Miyazato had finished in the top 10 of the tournament in each of the last four years.
European Tour
PORTRUSH, Northern Ireland - Jamie Donaldson of Wales won his first tour title by shooting a 6-under 66 to clinch a 4-stroke victory at the Irish Open at the Royal Portrush Golf Club.
Donaldson birdied five of his last seven holes to shoot a fourth straight round in the 60s to total 18-under 270 and end an 11-year trophy drought that covered 255 tournaments.
"It feels a bit surreal, to be honest," said Donaldson, who topped a strong field that included home favorites Rory McIlroy, Graeme McDowell and Padraig Harrington.
Rafael Cabrera-Bello of Spain and Fabrizio Zanotti of Paraguay also shot 66s to finish tied for second with Anthony Wall (69). who was in the final group with Donaldson.
