Tiger falls short at Quicken

POTOMAC, Md. — Tiger Woods’ best final round in more than five years couldn’t get him close to an elusive tournament win.

Francesco Molinari delivered a record performance to win the last edition of the Quicken Loans National. Molinari holed a 50-foot eagle putt to start the back nine, and he never stopped until he turned the final round into a runaway Sunday at the TPC Potomac at Avenel Farm. The Italian closed with an 8-under 62 for an eight-shot victory, matching the largest margin this year on the PGA Tour.

Molinari followed that eagle putt with an approach to 2 feet on No. 11, one of the hardest par 4s on tour that had yielded only one other birdie in the final round. He made three more birdies and ended his round by missing a birdie putt from 8 feet.

No matter. He finished at 21under 259, breaking the tournament record by seven shots.

“It was a lot easier than I thought,” Molinari said with a wide grin. “I played great.”

Woods, who hasn’t won since the the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational in 2013, closed with a 66 and he was never close. Woods tied for fourth, his best result since a runner-up finish at the Valspar Championship three months ago, though he was 10 shots behind.

“I was only four back at the time when I made the turn, and so I thought that maybe if I got on the back nine, I shot 30 — maybe 29 — that would be enough,” Woods said. “Evidently, I would have to shoot 24 on the back nine. What Francesco is doing back there is just awesome.”

Molinari missed only 10 greens in regulation over 72 holes.

Not many people saw it. Thousands were following Woods all week, even in the oppressive heat over the weekend.

Woods came to live with a pair of birdies late on the front nine, and he was in range to get even closer when he hit a lob wedge to 6 feet on No. 10. He missed the putt. He missed the 13th fairway and took bogey for the second straight day. And then he missed a 3-foot birdie putt on No. 14.