Thousand Oaks, CA – Graeme McDowell poured in a birdie putt at the last on Sunday to seal his second win in three years at the World Challenge.
McDowell closed with a 4-under 68 in damp conditions to end at 17-under-par 271. He also won this title in 2010, when he beat tournament host Tiger Woods in a playoff.
"This puts me in a nicer frame of mind going into the off-season. I've talked a lot about how frustrating this season's been off the back of some decent play," McDowell said in a TV interview. "This event has been incredibly good to me. The invite I got in 2009 was the start of something amazing which happened to me in 2010. This one feels more amazing."
Keegan Bradley posted a 3-under 69 in the final round to take second at minus-14. Bo Van Pelt took third at 10-under 278 after a final-round 70.
Woods bogeyed the last for a 71. He shared fourth at 9-under-par 279 with Jim Furyk (70) and Rickie Fowler (69).
U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson closed with back-to-back 69s to end alone in seventh at 7-under-par 281. Steve Stricker posted a 70 at Sherwood Country Club to grab eighth at minus-6.
McDowell and Bradley were paired in the final group together. They both birdied the par-5 second as McDowell maintained his 2-shot lead.
Bradley rolled in a birdie effort from off the green at the fifth to get within one. Things quickly turned in McDowell's favor as Bradley faltered to bogeys at eight and nine.
That left him three back as they made the turn. After Bradley rolled in his birdie putt at the 10th, McDowell matched that with a 7-foot birdie effort of his own.
McDowell made it two in a row as he birdied the 11th to move his lead to four. The par-5 13th swung things in Bradley's favor. The 2011 PGA Champion 2-putted for birdie, while the 2010 U.S. Open winner 3-putted for bogey.
That was McDowell's first bogey in 41 holes and it cut his lead to two. After Bradley chipped his third to tap-in range on the par-5 16th, McDowell converted his birdie putt first to remain two ahead.
At the last, McDowell ran home a 7-footer for birdie to seal the 3-stroke win.
Woods mixed two bogeys, a birdie and an eagle in his round of 71.
"Overall, I struggled with my game a little bit this week. I didn't quite have it. I managed myself quite well to get around in these conditions," Woods said in a televised interview. "Overall, I couldn't be more proud at how everything turned out as far as the tournament and the foundation is concerned."
NOTES: McDowell has played this event three times and has two wins and a second-place finish ... Woods finished outside the top two for just the third time in 12 appearances ... Zach Johnson (79) was the only player over par for this week at 5-over 293 ... The final PGA Tour off-season event is next week when Bradley and Brendan Steele defend their title at the Franklin Templeton Shootout starting on Friday.
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