WOODS SHOOTS HOLE-IN-ONE.

Byline: Daily News Wire Services

He was unable to conjure the stuff of legend for much of the week, but as the Greater Milwaukee Open was winding down, Tiger Woods gave the gathered throng a parting shot that justified its faith in him.

Woods made a hole-in-one at the 202-yard, par-3 14th hole with a 6-iron on Sunday, a shot heard 'round the world. In tribute, the huge gallery framing the 14th hole escorted his every step from tee to green with a thunderous ovation that resonated around Brown Deer Park Golf Course.

``It was wild,'' Woods said. ``They didn't have to do it. It was a good shot that happened to turn out perfect. I tried to punch it under the wind, but when I hit it it went higher and I thought the wind would snag it. But it landed near the hole and then everybody around the green was jumping up and down. People said it was a hole-in-one, and then I got excited.''

The ball actually hit about 6 feet short and right of the hole, took a bounce toward the hole, then rolled into the cup. It was the ninth ace of his life, the last coming four years ago, when he made one at the Navy Course in Long Beach.

It was a fitting conclusion to a week that centered around Woods, who was making his professional debut. He concluded play with a round of 3-under-par 68 and a 72-hole total of 7-under 277.

``I was saying to Fluff (Mike Cowan, his caddie), `I can't make anything on the green, so I might as well make one from off the green,' '' Woods said.

Woods finished in a tie for 60th and earned $2,544, his first official payday. He left Milwaukee on Sunday evening, headed for the Toronto area, where Thursday he will compete in the Canadian Open.

Loren Roberts won the Milwaukee title by sinking a 6-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole after he finished in a tie with Jerry Kelly at 19-under 265, a record low for the tournament.

Seven tied for lead: LPGA Hall of Famer Betsy King was among seven players tied for the lead after the second round of the Rail Classic at Springfield, Ill. Joining King at the top of the leaderboard were Alice Miller, Michelle McGann, Barb Whitehead, Denise Killeen, Tracy Kerdyk and Mayumi Hirase.

Marsh wins by two:Graham Marsh shot a 5-under-par 67 to win the $800,000 Franklin Quest tournament by two shots at Park City, Utah. It was Marsh's third career win on the Senior PGA Tour.

Okamoto reaches milestone: Japanese star Ayako Okamoto won her 60th career title, shooting a 1-under-par 71 for a one-stroke victory in the Fujisankei Ladies Classic in Minami-Tsuru, Japan.

Okamoto, 45, has 42 victories on the Japan LPGA tour, 17 on the U.S. LPGA tour, and one in Europe in her 21-year career. She earned $100,000 for her first victory since September 1994.