THOUSAND OAKS, Calif. — Tiger Woods has two trophies he can use as bookends for a year like no other.

It started 322 days ago down the coast at Torrey Pines when he won his first tournament of the year in a playoff at the Buick Invitational. It ended yesterday at the Target World Challenge with a 6-under-par 66 that allowed Woods to blow past U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy and win his tournament for the third time in eight years.

In between came a massive loss with the May 3 death of his father, a missed cut for the first time in a major, then six months of golf that Woods considers his best ever.

The benchmark always has been 2000, when his nine PGA Tour victories included three straight majors. He won 53 percent of his PGA Tour events this year — eight of 15 — including the final two majors.

"I think if you compare the two years, I think this year would have to be better because of, obviously, things I've been dealing with off the golf course," Woods said. "In 2000, I didn't have to deal with that. Hey, life is full of mysteries and you've got to deal with things as they come. Who's to know that if Dad didn't struggle and end up passing that I wouldn't have played that well in the summer."

Woods finished at 16-under 272, and donated his prize money — $1.35 million — to the Tiger Woods Foundation.

$5.75 MILLION TARGET WORLD CHALLENGE

AT SHERWOOD COUNTRY CLUB

Thousand Oaks, Calif.

YARDAGE: 7,064 YARDS; PAR: 72

Tiger Woods, $1.35 million 68-68-70-66—272

Geoff Ogilvy, $840,000 68-70-67-71—276

Chris DiMarco, $570,000 70-68-68-71—277

Henrik Stenson, $420,000 66-71-73-69—279

C.Montgomerie, $285,000 69-73-72-66—280

Paul Casey, $285,00 69-70-70-71—280

M.Campbell, $240,000 74-69-68-71—282

P.Harrington, $230,000 75-67-70-71—283

David Toms, $220,000 73-69-68-75—285

Davis Love III, $205,000 77-70-70-69—286

Fred Couples, $205,000 69-74-72-71—286

Luke Donald, $190,000 76-74-72-71—293

David Howell, $185,000 71-75-72-77—295

Adam Scott, $177,500 75-80-69-72—296

J.M.Olazabal, $177,500 70-70-78-78—296

John Daly, $170,000 69-71-77-80—297