REVITALIZED WOODS PULLS IT OUT WIN HARRINGTON FINDS BROOK, FADES AT END.

Byline: Dave Shelburne Staff Writer

THOUSAND OAKS - Don't tell Padraig Harrington about the luck of the Irish. Not for a few days, anyway.

Harrington, pressed into gamble mode by a suddenly solid-swinging Tiger Woods, Sunday went from brook to bush to rough to bogey when he needed a birdie at worst. That misadventure on the par-5, 537-yard 16th hole at Sherwood Country Club ended the last threat to Woods' second Target World Challenge championship.

The way Woods was playing - and the way he has been playing dating to his eight-stroke win in the Dunlop Phoenix three weeks ago in Japan - Harrington might not have prevailed without his stretch-run woes, which included another bogey at No. 18.

If a few more of Woods' well-struck putts had dropped Sunday, he might have been in control by the back nine.

``I could just not start the ball on line,'' he said of a bogey-less closing round that included five birdies. ``Sometimes a little right, sometimes a little left. The putt I did hit perfect didn't go in. It was one of those days. I had to rely on my ball-striking to get me around.''

Considering the year Woods has had - winning just one PGA Tour event while working on a swing change - the fact he was able to rely on his ball-striking meant as much to him as winning.

``It makes it even more gratifying,'' Woods said after finishing 67-66-69-66 for a 16-under par 268, two shots clear of runner-up Harrington. The Irishman made seven birdies and managed a closing 66 despite the stretch stumble.

Third-round leader Colin Montgomerie, who closed with a 71, and Jay Haas (69) shared third at 271, a shot behind Harrington. Miguel Angel Jimenez (70) was fifth at 273, first-round co-leader Jim Furyk (74) was sixth at 276, and Stewart Cink (70) took seventh at 278, a shot ahead of Fred Couples (70) and PGA Player of the Year Vijay Singh (68), who tied for eighth.

The win earned tournament host Woods $1.25 million - he donated it to the Tiger Woods Foundation, as he does with his winnings every year in the fund-raiser at Sherwood - and left him excited about the 2005 season.

``Not quite as good as Japan, but it was close,'' he said. ``I didn't play all that well this year, but Japan, I actually hit it better than this.''

This week was good enough to convince Woods he has been on the right track in pursuit of a regrooved swing - his second retooling since his one- win 1998 season, which he followed with eight wins in `99.

``Probably '98 was more difficult, but certainly this one I got a lot more badgering from you guys,'' Woods said with a smile. ``I got a lot more questions. 'What are you doing?' Because I had a great run for, like, five years (season-win totals, 1999-2003: 8, 9, 5, 5 and 5).''

Harrington didn't question himself for the 280-yard 5-wood shot he attempted in a bid to reach the par-5 16th green in two. He did note of the irony.

``It was the opposite of two years ago, when I won,'' he said. ``I had 5-wood into 16 again, and two years ago I hit it right in the middle of the green when I wasn't feeling too good. This year, I hit it right (into the brook) when I was feeling great.

``These things happen in golf.''

Harrington, 15-under par for the tournament as he pondered his second shot on No. 16, reasoned he had to go for the green. Woods, playing behind him and with a good birdie opportunity at No. 16 - which played as the fourth-easiest hole on the course - had held a one-shot lead for the previous three holes.

``Sometimes they come off, sometimes they don't,'' Harrington said of his shot to the brook, which was followed by a shot over the green into a bush, a shot back to the rough short of the green, a chip, and a 10-foot bogey one-putt. ``But, certainly, I needed to produce something over the last couple of holes.''

Dave Shelburne, [phone]

dave.shelburne(at)dailynews.com

CAPTION(S):

3 photos, box

Photo:

(1 -- cover -- color) OUT OF THE WOODS

Tiger ends difficult year with his second consecutive tournament victory, shooting a 66 to win his Target World Challenge at Sherwood Country Club in Thousand Oaks

(2) Tiger Woods tees off at No. 5 en route to a final-round 66 and a two- stroke win over Padraig Harrington in Thousand Oaks.

(3) Tiger Woods' putt at No. 5 won't drop; he made five birdies Sunday.

David Crane/Staff Photographer

Box:

TARGET WORLD CHALLENGE