Englishman fends off Woods to win HSBC Champions

England’s David Howell held off Tiger Woods in the HSBC Champions on Sunday in Shanghai, China, closing with a 4-under 68 for a three-stroke victory.

Howell, who began the round with a one-stroke lead over Woods, finished with a 20-under 268 total to claim the $833,300 first-place check in the $5 million event, the richest tournament in Asia. Woods shot a 70.

Howell, a surprising star in Europe’s Ryder Cup victory over the United States last year, extended his lead to four strokes with three birdies on the first five holes and overcame bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9 to win his third European tour title.

“I didn’t want to beat him too badly,” Howell joked. “Actually, I was very nervous there when I missed a few putts, particularly at the ninth after missing on the eighth. I played solid golf from there and Tiger perhaps wasn’t on song.”

The 30-year-old Englishmen also won the BMW International Open in Germany in August, beating John Daly by a stroke.

Woods, also second last week in the Tour Championship in Atlanta, will be in Japan this week for the Dunlop Phoenix and also will play in the PGA Grand Slam, Skins Game and Target World Challenge.

“Two seconds in two weeks, they are good weeks,” Woods said. “But second doesn’t feel as good as first, that’s for sure. I’ve got four more tournaments to go.”

England’s Nick Dougherty eagled the par-5 18th for a 69 to tie for third with Australia’s Nick O’Hern (73) at 14 under. Vijay Singh (69) and Denmark’s Thomas Bjorn (70) finished at 13 under on the Shanghai Sheshan International Golf Club course.

The last time Howell played in the same group as Woods was in the third round at the Masters in April. The Englishman shot a 76 at Augusta, while Woods put himself in position to win his ninth major title

Woods never got on a roll Sunday.

The top-ranked American had two birdies and a bogey on the front nine, when he three-putted the fifth hole – missing a 15-foot birdie try and a 2-foot par attempt.

“It wasn’t easy to putt this week,” Woods said. “We just tried not to leave yourself any short ones. The short ones were really tough.”

Howell made an 18-foot birdie putt on No. 7 to reach 20 under, but bogeyed the next two holes – missing a 3-foot par putt on No. 9 – to allow Woods to cut the margin to two strokes. Howell birdied the 10th and 12th and closed with six consecutive pars, while Woods had two birdies and a bogey on the back nine.

“I was four back there and he made bogeys on eight and nine,” Woods said. “On 10, I hit the best putt I hit all day and it doesn’t go in, and his goes in and that’s a big swing there.”

The tournament was the first event of the 2006 European tour schedule.

PGA Tour

Kenny Perry and John Huston won the Franklin Templeton Shootout in Naples, Fla., combining for a 13-under 59 in the scramble format for a one-stroke victory over Fred Couples and Adam Scott.

Perry and Huston, who each earned $315,000, had a 30-under 186 total on the Tiburon Golf Club course. They opened the event with a 64 in modified alternate shot and had a 63 on Saturday in the best-ball round.

Couples and Scott finished with a 62.

Mark O’Meara and Nick Price (60) were third at 27 under. Tournament host Greg Norman, playing a month after minor knee surgery, and Steve Elkington shot a 17-under 55 to finish fourth at 26 under. They birdied every hole but two and eagled No. 17.

Perry and Huston birdied Nos. 11 and 12 to tie Couples and Scott, then passed them with a birdie on No. 14. They extended the lead to two with a birdie on No. 15, but Scott made a 60-footer on No. 16. Both groups had birdies on No. 17 and pars on No. 18

” ‘We’re going to turn it around and win this thing.’ That what I was thinking to myself the whole time,” Perry said. “Sure enough, we birdied two holes, they let two get away, we caught them and ended up taking the lead on them and kind of cruised to victory.”

LPGA Tour

U.S. Solheim Cup star Christina Kim won her second career title Sunday, closing with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Australia’s Rachel Hetherington in the Mitchell Company LPGA Tournament of Champions in Mobile, Ala.

Kim, 21, two-putted from 80 feet on the final hole, tapping in for par after Hetherington missed a 20-foot birdie attempt.

“I have been struggling since the Solheim and to know that I could come out there and be a champion of champions, it’s an incredible feeling,” Kim said.

Kim finished with a 15-under 273 total on the Magnolia Grove Golf Club’s Crossings Course and earned $138,000.

Hetherington shot a 68 en route to the eighth runner-up finish of her career. Sweden’s Liselotte Neumann, the 1996 winner, closed with a 71 to finish third at 12 under. Hall of Famer Juli Inkster (69) followed at 11 under.

Wendy Ward, of Edwall, Wash., closed with a 74 and finished at 3-over-par 219.