Rory McIlroy has defeated Tiger Woods by a stroke with a round of 67 to capture the ‘Duel at Jinsha Lake’ in Zhenghou, China.
The current World No. 1 was never behind in his match with the double Major winner from Northern Ireland birding three of the his opening three holes and with Woods dropping a shot at the third.
Rory McIlroy handed the special Chinese ornate vase after defeating Tiger Woods in the ‘Duel at Jinsha Lake’. (Photo – www.golffile.ie)
McIlroy made the turn two shots clear at three under par in the medal match-play encounter and with Woods at one under.
Woods, competing in China for a first time in two years, clawed a shot back when he chipped in from off the green at the par three 12th hole.
However Woods then bogeyed the 14th before both players birdied the par five, 15th.
McIlroy and Woods pared the closing three holes for McIlroy to shoot a round of a five under par 67 to Woods four under 68.
“It was a pretty exciting day and the match was pretty close all day,” said McIlroy.
“I got off to a good start and had a little bit of advantage for the first few holes but then Tiger birdied a few on the back nine, so all I was trying to do was to keep myself ahead and I managed to do that.”
Woods arrived in Zhenghou having finished fourth in Sunday’s concluding CIMB Classic in Kuala Lumpur and looking to again turn the tables on McIlroy after handing him a seven shot round robin defeat in the recent Turkish Airlines World Golf Final.
However both players struggled with the speed of the Jinsha Lake greens while security staff fought a constant battle with fans who often broke through security lines.
McIlroy is having a week off in Bulgaria to support tennis girlfriend, Caroline Wozinacki in the season-ending WTA event in Sofia.
Woods is heading to Singapore for a number of corporate outings before his final event of the year, his own November 29th commencing World Challenge in Thousand Oaks, California.
There was no prize money on offer in Zhenghou but as one official said: “But then it’s no secret they’ve both been paid appearance money.”
And Wood hinted he would welcome the further opportunity to go head-to-head with McIlroy in similar end-of-season exhibition matches.
“This certainly was not my usual ways I spend Mondays but to have this many people come out and watch us play golf, and go head-to-head in this exhibition was something special,” said Woods.
“These events don’t happen that often and it was just great to see everyone so excited to see us come here and excited to watch us play.
“So as far as doing something like this down the road it would be fun.
“We’re ranked Number One and Two in the world respectively and to have matches like this to promote the game of golf is what it’s all about.”
