MARANA, Arizona. — Two-time winner Tiger Woods reached the
WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship final for the fourth time by beating
holder Henrik Stenson of Sweden two up in Saturday’s semifinals.
The American world No. 1, in pursuit of a sixth successive
tournament victory worldwide, never trailed in a tight battle and holed a
clutch birdie putt on the 17th before sealing the win when Stenson conceded on
the 18th green.
Woods, who has clinched 14 World Golf Championships titles
in 25 starts since the events were first played in 1999, will take on
compatriot Stewart Cink in Sunday’s 36-hole final (Monday in Manila).
Cink, who rattled up five birdies and an eagle in the first
eight holes, reached the last stage for the first time in nine attempts with a
4 and 2 victory over Leonard.
"Henrik played well and it was a tough match," Woods said.
"We had to make birdies to win holes and the putt I made on 17 was a big putt,"
he said of his 12-footer.
"I felt like I was in control of the match all day. I was up
early and, even though we got all square, he never took the lead."
Tournament champion at La Costa in 2003 and 2004, Woods
posted a 3 and 2 win over South Korea’s K.J. Choi in the morning’s
quarterfinals before going one up in the afternoon after Stenson missed a
seven-foot putt to bogey the par-three third.
However, the Swede leveled the match at the par-four seventh
where he sank a six-footer for birdie and Woods missed his own attempt from
seven feet.
Woods again edged one up after getting up and down from a
bunker to birdie the par-five 10th before missing an opportunity to double his
lead when he missed an eight-footer at the 15th.
Stenson took advantage on the par-three 16th, sinking a
15-foot birdie putt to get back to all square before Woods sank the 12-footer
on 17 to regain a one-hole lead.
Cink, who rattled up eight birdies in the morning to beat Argentina’s Angel
Cabrera 3 and 2, took early control against Leonard with a brilliant display on
the greens.
