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In the words of Cameron Beckman, "There's a zillion people out there."

Beckman was exaggerating slightly Saturday when he said that, but an unprecedented 194,073 people came to see the AT&T National hosted by Tiger Woods at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda this week. They were not disappointed.

After a two-year wait, Woods got to be the "greedy host" he imagined since inaugurating the tournament in 2007. Woods shot a 3-under-par round of 67 to finish 13-under for the tournament, one better than a hard-charging Hunter Mahan and four better than 2008 champion Anthony Kim, who finished third.

"It was great shaking my own hand today," said Woods, who has also won tournaments hosted by golf greats Byron Nelson, Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus in his career. "I thoroughly enjoyed that."

For the first time, the event matched the aura that its host carries with him wherever he goes. The attendance for the four days of competitive golf, 165,031, was almost twice last year's (92,624), when Woods did not play following knee surgery, and 43,835 more than in 2007.

Humanity covered every square foot with a view of the 18th green Sunday, as Woods and Kim made their way down the fairway. The final pairing of defending champion with tournament host, and the eventual triumph of the world's No. 1-ranked golfer, highest-paid and most globally recognized athlete, cemented this year's AT&T National as the standard by which all others will be judged.

"I think this week, the weather was perfect, you had the Fourth of July … Everything just came together," Woods said. "[Wednesday], I was playing with Tony Romo [in the Pro-am], Jessica [Simpson] came out, we had the Screaming Eagles. It just got off to a great start, and the buzz built from there."

Just as the event is hitting its stride, however, it is taking a two-year detour to Aronimink Golf Course in suburban Philadelphia, the city with the second-best claim to the July 4 holiday. Renovations get under way Wednesday that will transform Congressional in advance of the 2011 U.S. Open.

The AT&T National will return in 2012. To keep the momentum going until then, Tiger Woods Foundation President Greg McLaughlin announced Sunday that anyone with a Maryland, Virginia or D.C. driver's license will be admitted free to next year's tournament.

Woods also said he was open to trying to move the AT&T National to a different weekend on the PGA Tour calendar. Most top European players, and many of the world's highest-ranked players, were in Europe this week to prepare for the British Open, July 16-19.

As voted by The Gazette's sports desk, here is a roundup of the tournament's best:

Best shot

Rod Pampling's 80-foot putt Saturday took almost 10 seconds to reach the hole. The Australian could not keep up his torrid round from Friday, but his sidewinder birdie at 14 started out well left, then curved sharply downhill into the cup.

Biggest gallery reaction

Tiger Woods being introduced at the first tee Thursday, as throngs of spectators lined the tee box. Woods garnered applause when he stepped to the tee, then his powerful drive drew oohs, aahs and whistles from patrons who began their four-hour march with Woods and his threesome.

Best fashion statement

Hyun Kim, 26 of Towson, competed against Anthony Kim (no relation) in several American Junior Golf Association tournaments as a youngster. But Saturday was about far more than golf to the former; in a custom-designed air hole on one of his sandals, Kim inserted a visible drinking flask.

Of course, he did not plan to break it open at Congressional.

"Oh no, we're waiting until later," he said. "We'd never do such a thing. This is for the fireworks. … Yeah."

Best gallery comment

"Who's this guy? No idea."

"Tiger … Jones, I think."

A couple of jokesters Sunday who waited on the 13th tee all day for Woods to arrive.

Attendance: Six-day total of 194,073, a tournament record.