Tiger captures Memorial in style

DUBLIN, Ohio — No need to worry about Tiger Woods heading into the U.S. Open.

Woods broke away from a four-way tie for the lead Sunday at the Memorial with birdies on his final two holes, the last one a 7-iron that stopped a foot away from the cup for a 7-under 65 and a one-shot victory over Jim Furyk.

With a high-charged rally from a four-shot deficit, Woods revved up the crowd and silenced those who questioned his game heading into his title defense at Bethpage Black in two weeks.

He didn't miss a fairway in the final round, the first time he has done so in more than five years. He missed only five fairways all week, his most accurate tournament off the tee since the 1998 Masters.

Woods won the Memorial for a record fourth time, and tournament host Jack Nicklaus was there to greet him behind the 18th green. It was Woods' second victory this year after missing eight months from knee surgery, and he figured he will only get better.

"I knew it was coming around," Woods said. "I just wasn't as consistent as I needed to be."

Furyk made a 20-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole for a 69 to finish alone in second.

"I just didn't beat one guy," Furyk said. "It (stinks) finishing second. But he played better. A 7-under on those greens and with the conditions we dealt with, that's pretty spectacular. I just wish you all would just quit (ticking) him off ... so he has to come back and keep proving stuff. I think he answered a lot of questions today."

Woods finished at 12-under 276 and won for the 67th time in his career. The timing could not have been better. On a firm, fast course under steamy sunshine at Muirfield Village, he was close to perfect.

Woods surged into contention with a chip-in for an eagle out of gnarly rough behind the 11th green, following through with one hand and eventually using the other to pump his fist. He took his first lead with a two-putt birdie on the par-5 15th.

After a bogey from the bunker on the 16th, Woods was tied with Furyk, Jonathan Byrd and Davis Love III.

But not for long.

Woods hit his approach to nine feet behind the hole on the 17th, and rolled it in for a birdie and the lead. After hitting the fairway with a 3-iron on the 18th, he hit 7-iron from 183 yards and let another raucous cheer indicate the outcome. Woods slapped hands with caddie Steve Williams and tapped in for his best closing round to win since the Dubai Desert Classic last year.