PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- An uncharachteristic error by David Toms helped Shigeki Maruyama and Toshi Izawa win Japan's first World Cup title in 45 years Sunday.
Part of the 24-team tournament's top-ranked duo, Toms hooked his approach to the 72nd hole into a hazard as he and Phil Mickelson settled for a double-bogey and a second-place finish at the World Golf Championships event.
Maruyama and Izawa also had a double-bogey during the alternate-shot format Sunday, but carded a 6-under-par 66 and won by two strokes with a four-round total of 36-under 252.
"We were aiming for 36-under at the beginning," Maruyama said. "We knew there was going to be at least one team that would be chasing us, and it was the U.S. team."
The Americans made their move Saturday during the second best-ball round, shooting a 15-under 57 that included an eagle and 10 birdies by Mickelson. But Toms sealed their fate Sunday with an errant 6-iron at the 18th hole.
Tied for the lead after the Japanese duo birdied the 17th, the Americans were put in an awkward spot when Mickelson's tee shot wound up in the right rough behind a large tree. Faced with 130 yards to the front of the green, Toms tried to punch the ball under the limbs of the tree, but the ball sailed left, caught a slope and ran into the hazard.
"I was trying to keep the face open so it wouldn't go left, but I hit a bad shot," he said. "Looking back, I should have hit a sand wedge over the tree, but I just didn't think the shot through."
Toms is best known for his PGA Championship victory in 2001, when he decided to lay up with his third shot on a par-4. He ended up making a 10-foot par putt to defeat Mickelson by a stroke.
"We played very well this week and gave ourselves a shot at it and put oursevles in position to win with a couple of holes to go," Mickelson said.
"The last hole certainly was a disappointing way for us to finish, given that we fought so hard yesterday and today to get back in the tournament."
Maruyama and Izawa suffered a double-bogey at the 13th hole, allowing the Americans to move in front.
"Looking at the board, even with a bogey, we were able to win the tournament," Izawa said. "I just hoped that Maruyama wouldn't hit it over the green to the creek."
The win was a big one for the Japanese team, which earned the country's first meaningful golf title since 1957.
"Well, I played this event three times in the past three years and it's been very nice to bring back the trophy to Japan," Maruyama said. "It's been quite a few years since Japan has won the World Cup and I'm very happy now."
South Korea and England finished tied for third, six shots off the lead, with South Africa alone in fifth, seven shots back.
