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  In the end Tiger Woods got his victory parade, but for 160 thrilling 
 minutes St Andrews dared to believe it was finally Colin Montgomerie's 
 turn for major glory. The 29-year-old American was simply too good this week, and his 
 five-shot victory margin is a fair reflection of that. 
  A second Open win means Woods now has 10 majors, and he is only the 
 second man to have won each of golf's four big prizes twice. 
  For Montgomerie there are only the memories of a 
 remarkable week and a fourth runner-up 
 finish at a major. 
  The 42-year-old Scot was given unstinting support by a passionate home 
 crowd but it was not enough to deny Woods. 
  Montgomerie, however, gave the galleries and Woods a run for their 
 money. 
  Playing in the penultimate group with Retief Goosen, the fans' 
 favourite made a superb start to his final round. 
  Having birdied the third, Montgomerie narrowly missed an eagle putt at 
 the fifth. The tap-in birdie took him to 11 under, one back of Woods in 
 the group behind. 
  The world number one hit back with a birdie of his own at the fifth and 
 for the next hour they stayed just two shots apart. 
  Jose Maria Olazabal, Woods' partner, was also playing well, and when 
 all three birdied the ninth it was clear that this was now a three-horse 
 race. 
  But Montgomerie's challenge started to fade when he went through the 
 back of the 11th and failed to save his par. 
  Sensationally, Woods then drove into a fairway bunker at the 10th - a 
 green he drove on Friday - and also dropped a shot. 
  The Woods wobble was temporary, however, and when Montgomerie bogeyed 
 the 13th the American seized the moment with a birdie at 12. 
  Two hours and forty minutes after teeing off, Woods had restored his 
 three-shot lead over Montgomerie with the struggling Olazabal now four 
 back. 
  The remaining holes saw the classy Californian take complete control of 
 the tournament, and with his putter now co-operating the Claret Jug was in 
 the bag. 
  Montgomerie kept trying but another shot went at 15 and the last three 
 holes were played in par figures for a nine-under total and another second 
 place ribbon. 
  Olazabal also suffered down the stretch but a 
 gutsy birdie at the last 
 lifted him to eight under and a share of third with the 46-year-old Fred 
 Couples. 
  One behind this pair, in a six-way tie for fifth, were Geoff Ogilvy, 
 Bernhard Langer, Vijay Singh, Michael Campbell, Sergio Garcia and Retief 
 Goosen. 
  A shot further back on six under were Kenny Perry and three British 
 players - Graeme McDowell, Ian Poulter and Nick Faldo, who finished 
 birdie, eagle. 
  There was further home success in the race for the Silver Medal that 
 goes to the leading amateur. 
  Lloyd Saltman, a 19-year-old from Edinburgh, carded a superb 71 for a 
 five under total, one better than his 25-year-old rival from Dundee, Eric 
 Ramsay. 
  But the main spoils on offer - the Claret Jug and a cheque for £720,000 
 - belonged to only one man. 
  Having gone 10 majors without a win after claiming his eighth at the 
 2002 US Open, Woods has now the Masters and the Open this year, as well as 
 finishing second at the US Open. 
  And it is fitting that in the week the golf world said farewell to Jack 
 Nicklaus it should salute the man that will one day surpass the Golden 
 Bear's records. 
  (BBC) |