Tiger Wins The Dubai Desert Classic 2006

World Number One Tiger Woods beat the defending champion Ernie Els in a sudden-death play-off after a classic final day duel over the Majlis Course at the Emirates Golf Club.

On the first play-off hole (the 18th) Woods hit a perfect 3 Wood tee shot splitting the fairway while Ernie turned his over only to find the sand among the trees. Tiger then hit his approach shot to the back of the green. Els faced a similar shot during his 2002 victory when he hit an amazing four iron second shot. Ernie attempted the same shot with the same club but it just came up short and found the water guarding the front of the green. Ernie made bogey, leaving Tiger with three to win which he took.

Two in a row for the Tiger...

Could Ernie have applied more pressure by laying up and knocking in a wedge close to the pin?

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Greg Hutton
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yeah of course, ernie had to be nervous though with tiger's record for playoff

if he would of layed up and knocked one in close they would of tied at the most i believe

Easy to second guess.

My guess is that Ernie thought he had a chance to pull off the shot and end it right there, something to be said for taking your chance when you have it against Tiger.

With Tiger playing such cagey second through the green Ernie thought he could put serious pressure on if he'd hit the putting surface. If he hadn't pushed the shot slightly we'd all be saying how amazing the guy is. The risk reward of watching these guys taking on shots like that to a par 5 green is first class entertainment. I think more courses should finish with a par 5. Well played Ernie for coming from behind to make the play off in the first place.

Ernie was awfully close to the edge of the water. A pity.

He definitely pushed the shot. It was heading for the thinnest part of the green. If he's caught it as planned it should have ended around the same place as Tigers Ball.

I am gutted about Ernie's loss. I like Tiger don't get me wrong, but he seems to be so dominant that golf is not much fun to watch when he is in the field - he always seems to win even if he is playing badly and the others seem to choke. I just hope some of the young guys who hit it so far these days can start to compete with him.

I just cant explain why Ernie doesn't beat Tiger more often. He has better swing, putts and chips as well, hits it about as far - he seems to have everything. I guess he just mentally is not as strong as Tiger - who is?

Anyway in answer to your question - he only had 215 or so and less to clear the water so yes I would have gone for the green myself. It was just a bad drive and a bad second.

Nick

Tiger is mentally stronger than Ernie. The mental side of the game plays such a major part in winning and losing. You've gotta give Tiger the credit for that.
Tiger just knows how to get the ball in hole regardless of how he's playing.

I agree there isn't much between Tiger and Ernie ability wise. I think Ernie has the best swing on the planet but Tiger's short game is second to none. It was his short game that won at Dubai.

I'm like to see Ernie at Nº2 in the world ranking by the end of the year.
Not sure he'll play enough on the PGA tour though.

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You don't know what pressure is until you've played for five dollars a hole with only two in your pocket. - Lee Trevino

Tiger has some major recovery skills thats for sure

i pulled off a tiger shot the other day, hooked it around and under some trees about 150 yards and landed 10 foot from pin

Good work!! Did you make the putt?? Tiger would have

There is no question (in my mind at least!) that Tiger has the best short game ever. Some of the shots he hits are amazing and so is his consistency..........mind you he is helped, as all pro's are these days, by having a lob wedge......seve in his day may have challenged tiger, as would Tom Watson.

If Tiger ever loses his putting stroke he may struggle to win majors at his current rate. I dont think he will lose it however, his stroke is wonderful.

nick

In no way would Ernie have put the pressure on by laying up. He would have been laying 3 and still had to get up and down.

Tiger was already lying 2 on the green - putting the pressure on Ernie.

Now, Ernie was obviously playing for the win on 18. Had he laid up, he may have been able to force a push, and have a chance to recoup on a subsequent hole.

no i didnt make the putt, about 4 inches short but it had the line

Watching Ernie in the Majors, I always felt that Tiger was a lot better at the 3-10 foot putts. To me it seems that Ernie always ends up failing to convert several of those types of putts during the course of a round. Tiger is just absolute money on those putts.

I have always maintained that Ernie and Vijay were as good as Tiger from Tee to green, but on the Greens was where Tiger had a clear advantage. Though Vijay will have stretches where he just does not miss. I have never seen Ernie have those stretches. Not to say Ernie is a bad putter or that he chokes, he just not as consistent as Tiger in that area of his game and over 72 hole probably ends up droping a couple of shots which at that level is huge.