Patrick Reed celebrates his victory in Florida with his wife Justine as they kiss the Gene Sarazen trophy.
Patrick Reed becomes youngest WGC winner
03:10 - Source: CNN

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Story highlights

Patrick Reed claims WGC-Cadillac Championship

23-year-old Texan winning for third time on PGA Tour

Tiger Woods' challenge fizzles out on final day

Jamie Donaldson and Bubba Watson tied for second

CNN  — 

Patrick Reed became the youngest player to win a World Golf Championship event Sunday as the 23-year-old Texan held on for a one-shot victory in the Cadillac Championship in Florida.

Dressed in the trademark red of the previous record holder Tiger Woods, Reed carded a level par 72 at Doral to total four-under 284.

Welshman Jamie Donaldson and Bubba Watson tied for second, while Woods re-aggravated his back injury as he limped home with a six-over 78 to leave him tied for 25th.

The world number one had started the day only three back of Reed after a brilliant third round 66, but did not make a birdie for only the eighth time in his career.

Read: Woods moves up with superb 66

With the first major of the season looming at Augusta, Woods will be hoping to make a quick recovery and be able to play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational in two weeks time.

Reed is the latest young gun to challenge the established order and it was his third victory on the PGA Tour in the last 14 starts although by far the biggest with a winning check of $1,530,000.

He was not short on confidence either in his victory television interview: “I have three wins on the PGA Tour,” he said. “You don’t see a lot of guys that have done that. I feel I’m one of the top five players in the world.”

A bold statement, but Reed’s wire to wire victory was certainly impressive and he opened up a four-shot lead around the turn on the Blue Monster.

But as Donaldson and former Masters winner Watson began to make up ground, Reed started to struggle, bogeying the 15th to give his rivals hope.

Read: Four-way tie at blustery Doral

A brilliant par save on 17th gave him breathing space, with Donaldson bogeying the last to go back into a tie in the clubhouse with Watson on three under.

Reed could afford to bogey the last as he completed another memorable victory on only his second year on the PGA Tour.

Other big names as well as Woods also struggled and former number one Rory McIlroy, who challenged at halfway, finished with a 74 to leave himself on the five over mark.

“On the greens I didn’t get anything going with the putter and anytime I missed the green I didn’t really get anything going,” McIlroy moaned.

World number two Adam Scott also finished tied 25th at five over, having gone into the $9 million event with hopes of leap frogging Woods.