Woods can’t rally for win at Dubai

Associated Press

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates

The flashes of brilliance at the Dubai Desert Classic didn’t blind Tiger Woods to the signs that his new swing remains a work in progress.

Even so, Woods has no doubt about his future after stumbling in the final round Sunday, shooting a 3-over 75 to finish seven shots behind winner Alvaro Quiros in a tie for 20th.

“I feel like I can still win golf tournaments,” Woods said. “I’m not that old. I’ve still got some years ahead of me.”

Woods drew cheers Thursday when he hit a 3-wood 250 yards to the 18th green for an eagle. But he had trouble finding the fairway for much of the week in Dubai, his putter ran hot and cold, and his once-dangerous short game continued to let him down.

Woods started the final round a shot behind, but opened with two bogeys on his first three holes. He came back with birdies on Nos. 6 and 11, but followed that with a bogeys on Nos. 12 and 14, and then a double bogey on the last.

Woods, who won in Dubai in 2006 and 2008, has now gone 16 tournaments and 15 months without a victory after previously winning 14 majors and 82 tournaments.

“Yeah, very frustrating,” Woods said of his final round. “I got off to such a poor start, I was 2 over through three early and just couldn’t make it up from there.”

Quiros shot a 68, surviving a wild round that included a hole-in-one and a triple bogey to finish at 11-under 277, one stroke ahead of Anders Hansen of Denmark (70) and James Kingston (67).

Woods said he just needed “more work and more practice.”

“As I said when I came in this week, I hit the ball pure, and that’s the thing,” he said.