Tiger Woods outduels Sergio Garcia for Players Championship title

PONTE VERDE BEACH, Fla., May 12 (UPI) -- Tiger Woods carded a 2-under-par 70 Sunday, winning the Players Championship for the first time since 2001 after rival Sergio Garcia crumbled down the stretch.

Woods and Garcia were vying for the lead in the late stages of the final round, but Garcia put two consecutive shots into the water on the par-three 17th, finishing the hole with a quadruple bogey.

Garcia also double-bogeyed the 18th, ending up tied for eighth place at minus-7, six shots off the pace with a round of 4-over 76 at TPC Sawgrass.

Woods, meanwhile, parred the final hole to end at 13-under 275, two shots better than rookie David Lingmerth (even-par 72), Kevin Streelman (67) and Jeff Maggert (70) at minus-11.

Woods claimed his the 78th career victory and his fourth this season, making for his fastest-ever PGA Tour start.

Martin Laird (67), Ryan Palmer (72) and Henrik Stenson (72) knotted for fifth at minus-10.