Tiger Woods gave another remarkable display to win the Dubai Desert Classic title on Sunday, his seventh victory in his last eight tournament appearances.

The world number one started the day four shots adrift of leader Ernie Els but produced a trademark last-day charge as a seven-under-par 65 earned a 14-under total of 274.

Woods, who romped to an eight-shot victory at the Buick Invitational in California last Sunday, celebrated like he had won a major championship after rolling in a long, snaking, 30-foot putt for a birdie at the last.

His four at the water-guarded 18th meant the 13-times major champion finished the tournament with the best back nine of the week, a six-under 31.

Woods reached the turn in 34 in sunny and breezy conditions at the Emirates Golf Club. A chip-in birdie from just off the 12th green then got his juices flowing and his haul of six birdies on the inward half set a clubhouse target no one could match.

"I thought I had to shoot 30 on the back nine to force a playoff," Woods told Sky television after clinching his second Dubai triumph. "I went out there to do the best I could, shot 31 and that happened to be good enough.

"The chip-in at 12 was a lot tougher than people might think. It was sitting down in the grass, I hit it hard and it came out as soft as can be." German youngster Martin Kaymer, who won the Abu Dhabi Championship two weeks ago, was one stroke adrift in second place after a spectacular birdie-birdie-eagle finish gave him a 66.

World number five Els (71) had to settle for third on 276 along with fellow South African Louis Oosthuizen (65). In fifth place on 278 was Briton Graeme McDowell (70).

WATERY GRAVE

Els, bidding for a record fourth win here, needed a birdie at the last to force a playoff but struck his second shot into the water.

It was the second time in three years the South African had found a watery grave at the 18th. He did the same when he lost a playoff to Woods in 2006.

Woods also had a scare at the last when his second shot found a tricky lie just short of a greenside bunker, meaning he had to take his stance in the sand.

"It wouldn't have been too hard a bunker shot but when I saw it wasn't in the bunker I started thinking I could easily chip this ball in the water," said the 32-year-old American after ending his campaign the way it had begun, with a 65.

"But I managed to get it on the green and then my birdie putt went in.

"I felt my putting stroke was good today. Yesterday I felt a touch off but I felt I rolled the ball well today."

Woods spared a thought for his great rival Els.

"That's the way it goes sometimes," said the world number one. "I did the same thing (at the 18th) yesterday.

"People don't realise how hard it is blowing above the grandstands here because there really aren't any flags to indicate it."

Woods, Kaymer and Oosthuizen were not the only players who performed well on a day of low-scoring.

Argentina's Ricardo Gonzalez also fired a 65 to finish in a group on eight under that included defending champion Henrik Stenson of Sweden (74).

SCORES

274 Tiger Woods (US) 65 71 73 65

275 Martin Kaymer (Germany) 67 73 69 66

276 Ernie Els (South Africa) 68 72 65 71, Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 73 69 69 65

278 Graeme McDowell (Britain) 67 72 69 70

280 Ricardo Gonzalez (Argentina) 72 71 72 65 Soren Hansen (Denmark), 68 72 70 70 Peter Hedblom (Sweden), 69 70 70 71 Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 68 70 68 74

281 Niclas Fasth (Sweden) 72 71 70 68, Ross Fisher (Britain) 69 70 71 71, Thomas Levet (France) 67 71 72 71, Lee Westwood (Britain) 69 71 68 73

282 Bradley Dredge (Britain) 73 72 68 69, Jean-Baptiste Gonnet (France) 72 68 72 70, Scott Hend (Australia) 67 72 72 71, Paul McGinley (Ireland) 71 72 69 70, Gary Murphy (Ireland) 67 72 71 72

283 Sergio Garcia (Spain) 68 71 70 74, Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 69 73 70 71, Robert Karlsson (Sweden) 70 70 73 70 Hennie Otto (South Africa) 69 70 72 72 , Jeev Milkha Singh (India) 67 76 69 71, Anthony Wall (Britain) 73 72 68 70

284 Paul Broadhurst (Britain) 70 71 69 74, Simon Dyson (Britain) 67 77 67 73, David Frost (South Africa) 72 69 69 74 , Brendan Jones (Australia) 71 71 74 68, Shiv Kapur (India) 68 72 69 75

285 Ariel Canete (Argentina) 68 75 72 70, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (Spain) 73 71 72 69, Peter O'Malley (Australia) 68 73 70 74

286 Johan Edfors (Sweden) 71 70 73 72, Marcus Fraser (Australia) 69 75 70 72, Soren Kjeldsen (Denmark) 69 74 71 72, Jyoti Randhawa (India) 67 74 75 70, Richard Sterne (South Africa) 69 75 71 71 , Miles Tunnicliff (Britain) 69 74 70 73

287 Philip Archer (Britain) 72 72 74 69, Andrew McLardy (South Africa) 67 74 73 73, Mark O'Meara (US) 70 74 73 70, Ian Poulter (Britain) 70 71 70 76, Jean Van de Velde (France) 73 72 72 70

Selected Others

288 Thomas Bjorn (Denmark) 74 70 73 71, Pelle Edberg (Sweden) 67 74 71 76, Stephen Gallacher (Britain) 70 73 71 74, Gregory Havret (France) 72 71 72 73, David Howell (Britain) 68 75 72 73 , Mikko Ilonen (Finland) 74 71 68 75, James Kamte (South Africa) 74 71 71 72, James Kingston (South Africa) 68 74 75 71 , Maarten Lafeber (Netherlands) 71 72 71 74. Damien McGrane (Ireland) 68 69 72 79
Reuters