Zach Johnson defeats Tiger Woods in playoff to win World Challenge
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Zach Johnson defeated Tiger Woods on the first hole of a playoff to win the Northwestern Mutual World Challenge and cap a wild finish to Woods’ charity golf tournament Sunday.
After Johnson made a par four on the playoff hole -- the 18th hole at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks -- Woods’ putt for par to extend the playoff curled out of the cup and left him with a bogey.
The two players, who were paired together, came to the last hole of regulation play tied at 13 under par.
Woods hit his approach shot into a bunker in front of the green at the par-four 18th hole, seemingly giving the advantage to Johnson.
But Johnson gave the advantage back by hitting his approach into a pond in front of the green.
Then, hitting a pitching wedge from the water hazard’s drop zone, Johnson dramatically holed out the shot for a par four. Woods blasted out of the sand trap to make par as well and set up the playoff.
Johnson, who won $1 million with the victory, called his wedge shot “very lucky.”
Earlier, when he put the ball in the pond, “It was just a bad swing -- got caught up in the moment,” Johnson said.
Bubba Watson and Matt Kuchar tied for third at nine under, with Watson shooting a two-under 70 on Sunday and Kuchar a five-under 67.
This was the 15th edition of the tournament, which benefits the Tiger Woods Foundation, and next year the event is moving to Florida. Woods has won the tournament a record five times.
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