Tiger Woods rallies to avoid Match Play stunner
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 20, 2008 11:05 PM ET
The Associated Press

Tiger Woods produced another incredible comeback in the desert Wednesday, playing the final five holes in five-under par to turn what looked like certain defeat into an unlikely victory in the Accenture Match Play Championship in Marana, Ariz.
Woods fell behind J.B. Holmes on the first hole when his tee shot sailed into the desert and out of play, and he was three holes down with five to play after taking another penalty shot from the desert.

But he turned it around quickly, winning the next four holes, capped by a 35-foot eagle putt on the 17th. He escaped with a one-up victory on the 18th when Holmes missed an eight-foot birdie putt.

"I just kept telling myself, even when I was three down, there's still a chance to win in regulation," Woods said. "I was just going to have to start playing a hell of a lot better. Then all of a sudden, putts started falling in from everywhere."
It started with a 15-foot birdie on the 14th, followed by a meaningless 18-foot birdie on the 15th, when he only needed two putts to win the hole. The first overhand fist pump came at the 16th when he made a third straight birdie from just over 20 feet to square it for the first time since they shook hands on the tee to start the match.

The loudest roar came on the par-five 17th, which Woods reached in two with a five-wood from the rough. He holed his long eagle putt for his first lead of the match, then held on to avoid what would have been a shocking departure.