Tiger Woods Ends Two-Year Title Drought

(NewsCore) - Tiger Woods birdied the final two holes to win his first golf tournament in more than two years at the Chevron World Challenge.

The former world No. 1 claimed victory Sunday in the unofficial 18-man event by one shot over compatriot Zach Johnson, after closing with a final round 69 for a 10-under total.

Johnson birdied the 16th to take the lead, but Woods made birdie putts of 15 and six feet on the last two holes to seal the win, prompting an emphatic fist pump and a huge roar from the crowd at Thousand Oaks, Calif.

"Birdie birdie feels pretty damn good. Fans made it feel better than great," Woods said on Twitter.

He earlier told reporters, "I wasn't really thinking, I think I was yelling. I think I was screaming something, but it was just that I won the golf tournament. I pulled it off with one down, two to go. To go birdie-birdie is as good as it gets."

Woods last won 749 days ago at the 2009 Australian Masters, before an affairs scandal shattered his image and saw him break from the sport.

The win is set to see him jump from 52 to 21 in the word rankings.

"It feels awesome, whatever it is," Woods said, when asked whether he was delighted or just relieved to finally break the victory drought. "When the pressure was on the most the last two holes, I hit three of the best shots I hit all week. That's very exciting for me."

The 35 year old played down his long wait for a title.

"I know it's been a while, but also for some reason it feels like it hasn't," he said. "Because when I was coming down the stretch there I felt so comfortable."

After a few years to forget, Woods said he was looking forward to building on Sunday's success in 2012.

"I feel pretty good going into next year," he said. "I think if I have a good year I should be on the ballot for comeback player of the year, so I'm excited about that. So hopefully next year I can get on that ballot."

Johnson, seeking his first victory since the Colonial Invitational in May last year, had to settle for second place after closing with a 71.

"I'm obviously disappointed because I didn't come out on top and that was my goal. That's my goal every week," Johnson said. "There were a lot more positives than negatives this week. And Tiger birdies the last two holes. You just tip your hat."