Beem Lights Up

Little-known American Rich Beem stopped Tiger Woods creating golfing history tonight after an amazing finish to the last major of the season.

Woods birdied the last four holes for a 67 that equalled the best round of the final day in the United States PGA championship at Hazeltine National near Minneapolis.

But still it was not enough to make him the first player ever to win three majors in a season twice.

Beem, who seven years ago gave up golf for a year and sold mobile phones and car stereos instead, produced a breathtaking eagle on the long 11th, sank a putt of around 50 feet at the 16th and then kept his nerve to win only the fourth major he has appeared in.

The last player to capture one quicker than that was John Daly back in 1991. It was Daly's third.

Two ahead on the final tee the 31-year-old Beem, ranked 73rd in the world, remembered that he was a winner on the US Tour only two weeks ago rather than a major novice duelling with arguably the greatest player in history.

He could afford to bogey the hole and he did by three-putting it.

His 68 gave him a 10-under-par aggregate of 278, with Woods nine under and Chris Riley, another American competing in only his fourth major, in third place four further back.

"I said on the 15th that if I birdied every hole left I would win," said Masters and US Open Woods, also bidding for a third PGA victory in four years and his ninth major in all.

"I got the birdies, but I didn't win."

Beem said: "I came here with no expectations of winning. But my putter was unbelievable all week.

"At the 16th I was the most focused I've ever been. The nerves had really started hitting me.

Three strokes behind Justin Leonard at the start of the final round, Beem needed a mere eight holes to take over at the top as Leonard's form deserted him.

But with world number one Woods charging to only one behind, Beem was under incredible pressure as he started the closing stretch.

Far from buckling, however, the Phoenix player, the son of a professional, came up with his superb eagle at the 597-yard 11th, crunching a 271-yard three-wood to seven feet.

When he birdied the short 13th just after Woods had unexpectedly bogeyed it by three-putting the gap was an incredible five strokes.

Beem was not quite home and dry, however.

As he bogeyed the 357-yard 14th Woods, having done the same in the group ahead, came back with birdies on the next two to set up a gripping climax.

Woods then birdied the short 17th and at the last - scene of his wonder shot from the fairway bunker in the second round - he hit his second shot to five feet and made that as well.

Leonard, the 1997 Open champion and 1999 American Ryder Cup hero, had led overnight at nine under, three clear of Beem.

But that situation quickly changed. Leonard bogeyed the second and Beem birdied the next two to bring them level.

Leonard responded with an eight-foot birdie putt on the fifth, but could count himself fortunate just to drop one stroke on the next after his wayward approach had clung on the bank by the water.

The bogey meant he and Beem were tied once more, but now only one in front of Woods, who had started by chipping in at the first and then having three birdies in four holes from the fourth.

Sergio Garcia had a 68 to finish one over and was joint leading European along with Ryder Cup team-mate Pierre Fulke (71) in a tie for 10th.

Padraig Harrington was two further back in 17th and Justin Rose finished 23rd at four over.

Harrington played the first two rounds with a bad ankle and then just before his third round ricked his neck and thought he would have to pull out.

Australian physiotherapist Dale Richardson, who travels the golf circuit, came to his rescue on the course and the Dubliner, having double-bogeyed the first when he could hardly turn his body, managed a 74 to be in joint 13th place.

As Harrington set off again Richardson reported that he had given him more treatment last night and this morning.

"He's better, but he's probably still only 85," he commented.

Harrington birdied the second, but took six on the long third and after another birdie at the sixth ran up a double bogey seven on the next - and had to hole a 30-footer for that.

He was delighted to finish with a 72, while Rose completed his first-ever tournament in America as a professional with a 74 for four over.

Nick Faldo disappointed again with a 78, but that was still two better than Jose Maria Olazabal and Open runner-up Thomas Levet, Olazabal taking a nightmare sextuple bogey nine on the 182-yard 17th, another par three with water lining it.