GOLF: Des Smyth finished in a tie for 10th place as Bruce Fleisher outduelled Hale Irwin down the final holes to win the Verizon Classic at Tampa Bay, Florida yesterday.

The difference came at the 17th, where there was a two-stroke swing. Fleisher holed for a birdie two while Irwin took bogey to hand the initiative to Fleisher.

Fleisher finished on eight under par 205 after a final round of 67 which included an outward half of 32, while Irwin shot 69 to finish alone in second place on 206, with Mike Hill, who shot a best of the day 66 finishing third on 209.

Smyth added a final round of one under par 70 for a total of 213, while Christy O'Connor junior put the disappointment of a disastrous 82 in the second round behind him to shoot a one over 72 for a total of 226.

Smyth, who started the day tied for fifth place, never got going on the greens and had only two birdies at the fourth and 18th while dropping just one shot at the par four 13th in halves of 34 and 36.

O'Connor had another see-saw day with four birdies been cancelled out by three bogeys and a double bogey six at the ninth.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods, for once not in contention for a title, nevertheless served up a treat for Los Angeles fans in the final round of the Nissan Open yesterday.

Woods, whose hopes of making it two wins out of two this year faded fast after he drove out of bounds on the opening hole at Riviera Country Club on Saturday, went to the turn in a three-under 32 and then started for home with a 12-foot birdie putt.

However, after another four pars Woods finished in style with birdies at the 17th and 18th for a round of 65 and a total of 278 - still four shots behind Howell who was 10 under though 11 holes.

Darren Clarke shot a final round 68 that could have been so much better but for a double bogey at the 15th and a bogey at the last, for a four round total of 281.