Tiger Woods wins WGC-Cadillac Championship

Tiger Woods shot a closing 71 to post a 19-under-par 72-hole total and win the WGC-Cadillac Championship by two shots from compatriot Steve Stricker at Trump Doral.

It was the American's 17th World Golf Championship and second win of the season, following victory in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines at the end of January.

Woods started the final round with a four-shot lead, and never looked like relinquishing his advantage.

He birdied the second and the fourth, and a four at the par-5 10th opened up a sizeable lead.

From that point onwards he was unstoppable, and pars at the next five holes effectively shut out the field. He did bogey 16 and 18, but, in truth, victory was never in doubt.

Stricker shot a closing 68 to finish alone in second on 17-under-par, three shots clear of Sergio Garcia, Phil Mickelson, Graeme McDowell and Adam Scott, who surged through the field with a final-round 64.

"That's how I know I can play," said Woods, who recorded 27 birdies over the course of the four days.

"To be able to bring it out a couple of times so far this year, and then be able to close and get the wins on top of that, that's nice."

It was also an encouraging tournament for Rory McIlroy after an inauspicious start to the season.

The 23-year-old closed with a seven-under-par 65 to work his way into the top ten, comfortably his best result of the season.

WGC-Cadillac Championship Trump Doral Golf Resort, Florida March 7-10, purse $8,750,000

1) Tiger Woods (USA) - 66-65-67-71 = 269 $1,500,000 2) Steve Stricker (USA) - 67-67-69-68 = 271 $880,000 T3) Adam Scott (AUS) - 72-70-68-64 = 274 $417,500 T3) Sergio Garcia (ESP) - 66-72-67-69 = 274 T3) Phil Mickelson (USA) - 67-67-69-71 = 274 T3) Graeme McDowell (NIR) - 66-67-69-72 = 274 7) Keegan Bradley (USA) - 68-68-69-71 = 276 T8) Rory McIlroy (NIR) - 73-69-71-65 = 278 T8) Justin Rose (ENG) - 68-72-70-68 = 278 T8) Peter Hanson (SWE) - 67-71-70-70 = 278

Note: bold signified Titleist golf ball usage