Tiger signs off at Sawgrass with smile on his face

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Florida, May 14 (Reuters) Tiger Woods ended a frustrating week at the Players Championship with a smile on his face and a sparkling five-under-par 67.

The putts finally began to drop for the world number one who covered the last 14 holes at the Tournament Players Club at Sawgrass in seven under par.

He struck a superb six-iron to 10 feet at the par-five 16th to set up his first eagle of the week before finishing in a tie for 37th at level-par 288.

Phil Mickelson won the event for his 31st PGA Tour title.

''I didn't play that much better today but I had a run from five through 12 where I one-putted every hole,'' Woods told reporters after a round also featuring five birdies and a double-bogey six yesterday.

''Overall, I've probably hit the ball better this week than I did last week but didn't putt anywhere near as good,'' added the 31-year-old American, referring to his victory at the Wachovia Championship.

''I had 12 lip-outs this weekend and I've hit so many good putts this week that have grazed the lip. Today I went for a more aggressive approach and they just happened to go in.'' Asked why he had declined to speak to reporters after battling to a 73 in Saturday's third round, he replied: ''I was just tired of hitting good putts and have them all lip out because I didn't feel like I was playing that poorly.

REALLY FRUSTRATED ''I hit some bad shots, yes, but I had eight putts lip out yesterday. I was really frustrated with it. I hit it well enough to shoot in the sixties with no problem and yet wound up at one over.'' Fifteen shots off the pace going into the final round, Woods slipped to seven over with a double-bogey at the par-four fourth where he was bunkered off the tee and found water with his approach.

Thereafter, the 12-times major winner did not put a foot wrong with a sparkling display from tee to green in muggy conditions.

A 27-foot (8.230 metre) putt at the par-three eighth sparked a run of four consecutive birdies as Woods steadily inched his way up the leaderboard.

His eagle on the 523-yard (478.2 metres) 16th capped his lowest round at Sawgrass since he closed with a 67 in 2001 to win the title for the only time.

Asked to explain his relative lack of success at the Players over the last six years where he has finished no higher than tied for 11th, he replied: ''I just haven't played right at the right times.

''This year I felt like I hit the ball decent or at least good enough to contend but I didn't make any putts. In years past, I haven't really played all that well.'' Woods, who needed only 27 putts and reached 14 of 18 greens in regulation in the final round at Sawgrass, is relatively happy with his game for next month's US Open at Oakmont.

''I just need to keep fine tuning it,'' he said. ''This week I was a little bit loose at times but I hit a lot of good shots this week as well.'' The US Open, the second major of the year, takes place from June 14-17.

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