THOMASTOWN, Ireland - The majors over, Ernie Els got a consolation prize Sunday by capturing his first World Golf Championship.
Els outlasted Thomas Bjorn at Mount Juliet, making a 6-foot birdie on the 17th hole for a cushion he desperately needed and closing with 3-under 69 to win the American Express Championship by one shot.
The victory, his fourth of the year, allowed the 34-year-old to move past Tiger Woods to No.2 in the world rankings and gave Els another chance to reach No.1 by the end of the year.
His next target is Vijay Singh, who did not play because of damage to his Florida home by Hurricane Jeanne.
Bjorn, in contention for the first time since February, closed with 68 and was within one shot of Els three times. The 33-year-old had a 70-foot eagle putt on the 17th, but ran it 10 feet by and missed the birdie putt coming back. Els was short of the green, but pitched to 6 feet and made the putt.
That gave him the breathing room he needed. Els found the bunker on the 18th and blasted out to 15 feet, but when Bjorn missed his birdie putt from 40 feet, the South African could take two putts for bogey.
Els finished 18-under 270 and earned $1.2-million for control of the European tour money list.
What mattered most was winning, especially after his close calls in the majors - second at the Masters and British Open, one shot out of a playoff at the PGA Championship, and 80 in the final round of the U.S. Open after starting two shots out of the lead and in the final pairing.
"This is a new start," Els said. "I wanted to forget about the majors, the near misses, and get on with my career and with my life."
Woods is without a stroke-play title for the first time since winning the 1996 Las Vegas Invitational, the fifth start of his career. He was seeking his third straight American Express Championship, but shot 70 a third straight day and finished ninth, eight shots back.
PGA TOUR: Fred Funk birdied the final hole to finish 6-under 66 and win the Southern Farm Bureau Classic in Madison, Miss., by a stroke, his first tour victory in six years. The 48-year-old tied a course record at Annandale Golf Club with 22-under 266 to win for the first time since a victory here in 1998.
After he left his 75-foot eagle putt short on 18, he sank a 4-foot putt to win it, then pumped his fist and screamed "Yes!" as the gallery cheered. Funk, who had seven birdies and a bogey, held off Ryan Palmer. Palmer had a chance to go to 22 under on 18, but left his 49-foot eagle putt 5 inches short and tapped in for birdie.
CHAMPIONS TOUR:
Wayne Levi won his second tour event, shooting 4-under 68 for a two-stroke victory at the Constellation Energy Classic in Hunt Valley, Md. Levi led by two with four holes to play and added a birdie on the par-5 16th, finishing 16-under 200 and holding off late charges by several players, including Hale Irwin and Jim Thorpe.
Irwin and Thorpe matched the tournament record with a final-round 64; Irwin finished second. He drained a 93-foot putt for eagle at the par-5 fifth and finished with eight birdies, including five straight on the back nine.
