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Tiger bests Rory, loses in semifinal

 
Tampa Bay Times
Published Oct. 12, 2012

BELEK, Turkey — Tiger Woods beat Rory McIlroy by six strokes Thursday in their head-to-head match in group play at the World Golf Final to make the semifinals, where he lost by one stroke to Justin Rose.

McIlroy was eliminated from the $5.2 million, eight-player exhibition after losing his third straight group match. But McIlroy, who takes home $300,000, didn't mind too much.

"I've got an afternoon by the pool," he said. "I've treated this week as it's great to come here, nice weather, play a bit of golf, I get to spend some time with Caroline (Wozniacki, his tennis-playing girlfriend)."

Woods shot 7-under 64 to set up the match play against Rose. Earlier, Rose posted a then-course-record 62 to beat U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson by five shots. Against Woods, Rose shot 2-under 69.

"When Justin birdied 13 and holed out at 14, it was the turning point in the match," Woods said. "I was 2 up at the time, and all of a sudden 1 down with four holes to play."

In the final, Rose plays Lee Westwood, who shot a course-record 61 in the semifinals to beat 2011 Masters champion Charl Schwartzel by six shots. The winner gets $1.5 million and the runnerup $1 million.

pga: Nick O'Hern had 9-under 62 to take a three-stroke lead over European Ryder Cup player Nicolas Colsaerts and two others in the Frys.com Open at San Martin, Calif. Tampa resident Ryuji Imada shot 70.

lpga: Defending champ Na Yeon Choi shot 6-under 65 in the LPGA Malaysia for a share of the lead with Karrie Webb at Kuala Lumpur. Tampa's Cindy LaCrosse shot 70 and Seminole's Brittany Lincicome 71.