LA JOLLA, Calif., Jan. 29 (UPI) -- In his first event of the season, Tiger Woods Sunday won the Buick Invitational in a playoff against rookie Nathan Green and veteran Jose Maria Olazabal.
With the victory, Woods, who just turned 30, became a four-time champion of the event, played at La Jolla, Calif. He qualified for sudden death by draining a 10-foot birdie putt on the last hole of regulation to shoot an even-par 72 for the day.
Woods, Green (72) and Olazabal (69) all finished at 10-under-par 278.
Lucas Glover (71), who could not hole an eagle putt at 18 to join the playoff, tied for fourth place with Jonathan Kaye (66), John Rollins (69) and Arjun Atwal (71) at 9-under 279.
Three-time champion Phil Mickelson (73), who had a share of the lead early, carded three consecutive bogeys from 14-16, and tied for eighth place with third-round co-leader Sergio Garcia at 8-under 280.
