Woods captures Johnnie Walker Classic

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Tiger Woods wrapped up his 10th tournament title of the year with a third straight 65 Sunday to win the Johnnie Walker Golf Classic by three strokes over Australia's Geoff

Sunday, November 19th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) _ Tiger Woods wrapped up his 10th tournament title of the year with a third straight 65 Sunday to win the Johnnie Walker Golf Classic by three strokes over Australia's Geoff Ogilvy.

Woods' winning score of 25-under 263 was a tournament record, beating the 268 performance of South Africa's Ian Palmer in 1992. It also was Woods' lowest four-round score in relation to par, but it wasn't his lowest total _ he shot a 21-under 259 at the par-70 Firestone Country Club in the NEC Invitational this year.

This victory, on the European PGA Tour, came after Woods just missed joining Sam Snead, Ben Hogan and Byron Nelson as 10-time winners in a U.S. tour season.

Ogilvy had a final-round 64. Defending champion Michael Campbell of New Zealand was third at 69-270 over the par-72, 6,989-yard Alpine Golf and Sports Club course outside Bangkok.

Woods was tied for fourth after Thursday's first round, with a 4- under-par 68, but he surged into the lead on the second day and kept it.

His final round missed being even lower by inches.

On the par-5 14th, his eagle putt stopped on the edge of the hole, as did his birdie putt on the 15th. On the par-5 17th, he just missed chipping in for an eagle-3.

It was the 10th title of the year for 24-year-old Woods, who takes home a winner's purse of $190,798 plus the satisfaction of being back in his usual top spot after his disappointing fifth place tie in the American Express Championship in Valderrama, Spain.

The victory for world's No. 1 golfer also maintained his unbeaten record in Thailand as a professional. He first won the Johnnie Walker Classic in 1998 on Thailand's Phuket Island, and in 1997 he claimed the Asian Honda Classic in Bangkok.

``Its special any time I can come back to my mom's country and win. I had a lot of family and friends out there,'' said Woods, who added that the situation also added to the pressure he felt.

Ogilvy, runner-up for the second straight year, had eight birdies in his round and narrowly missed two eagles.

``I've never started the weekend being two behind, shot a 67 and then a 64 and lost by three,'' Ogilvy said. ``It's ridiculous and that was as good as I could have played. All credit to him (Woods). He's the best. He's the king.''

Australia's Wayne Smith, the opening-round leader with a 65, shot a 1-over 73 on Sunday to finished tied for eighth at 276.