Japan Wins Golf World Cup

Sunday, December 15th 2002, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

PUERTO VALLARTA, Mexico (AP) _ Japan's Shigeki Maruyama and Toshimitsu Izawa won the World Cup Sunday when the American team of Phil Mickelson and David Toms made double bogey on the final hole.

Japan won the two-man event with a score of 36-under par. The United States team, which shot par or better through the first 17 holes of the round, was second at 34-under.

Korea and England tied for third at 30-under, with defending champion South Africa at 29-under. The final round was played in alternate shot format.

Mickelson and Toms, who started the day three shots back of Maruyama and Izawa, came to the par-4 18th with a one-shot lead before Mickelson hit his tee shot into the rough. Toms then pulled his shot left of the green. The ball skipped along the edge of the green before rolling into a rock-filled hazard.

Playing in the group behind the Americans, Maruyama rolled in a birdie putt at the par-3 17th to tie the U.S. at 36-under.

After taking several minutes to decide what to do, Mickelson took a drop. His fourth shot ran about 15 feet past the pin and Toms' putt for bogey slid by the right side of the hole.

Maruyama then hit a great approach shot on the 18th, giving Izawa an easy 2-foot putt for par.

The American team took its first lead of the tournament on the par-4 13th, where Toms and Mickelson birdied and Maruyama and Izawa made double bogey.

The Americans made birdie to go to 35-under. Mickelson, one of the best wedge players in the world, hit his shot within five feet of the hole and Toms made the putt.

Japan made birdie at the par-5 12th. Maruyama's second shot at the 13th bounced into a bunker behind the green. Izawa then hit his shot across the green and into some high grass short of a hazard. Maruyama's chip shot left his partner with a 5-foot putt, which Izawa missed.

Toms and Mickelson then birdied at 16 and appeared to be in control until the mistake at 18.

With the large contingent of Mexican fans cheering them on, Mickelson and Toms were solid through the first 17 holes. Toms rolled in a birdie putt on No. 1 and Mickelson's second shot on the par-5 third hole was an indication the Americans were in for a big day.