MELBOURNE: Tiger Woods left his best golf to last as he surged home in a magical six-under finish in the final round at the Australian Masters at Victoria Golf Club on Sunday.

Woods strode from the final green with cheers ringing in his ears as he peeled off two eagles and two birdies in his closing six holes to finish three shots behind the tournament winner Stuart Appleby of Australia.

Woods had rounds of 69-72-71-65 to finish at seven-under 277.

The former world number one wrestled with his game all week and was 10 shots off the lead heading into Sunday's final 18 holes only to recapture some of his best golf in the homeward nine holes.

After turning at level par, Woods reeled off eagles at the 15th and 18th holes along with birdies at the 13th and 17th.

The 14-time major winner doffed his cap and beamed as the crowd roared its approval as he left the 18th green.

The rousing finish lifted Woods's spirits after a frustrating week and gave him renewed confidence in his attempt to break his tournament drought this year at next month's final Chevron World Challenge tournament in California.

"I have two weeks off and then play the Chevron so I am pretty excited about it," Woods said.

"Some of the things I am working on are starting to gel but unfortunately not for the entire round - they are sporadic.

"So I'll do some more work when I get back home with Sean."

Woods is restructuring his game with his fourth swing change with golfing instructor Sean Foley after splitting with his longtime swing guru Hank Haney.

"It's a work in progress. Sometimes it takes longer than others," Woods said during the tournament.

"Once I start feeling comfortable with what I'm doing - I know I can still play this game - it's just a matter of being consistent enough and on a daily basis."

As a sign of the improvement in his form at the Australian Masters he needed just 27 putts in the final round after stumbling with 33 in each of the opening two rounds.

Woods also urged other top US golfers to play in Australian leadup tournaments before next year's President's Cup in November at Royal Melbourne.

"They can get used to the time change, also play the golf courses and get used to the bounce, but no doubt coming down here and playing this type of golf is always a great preparation," he said.

Woods, who was trailed by large galleries this week, rolled in a 30-foot putt for eagle at the 15th and left the crowd screaming for more when he sunk an 18-footer at the last hole.

It has been a tumultuous year for Woods, 34, whose last win came at the 2009 Australian Masters here last November before a spectacular fall from grace in the wake of a sex scandal that engulfed his personal and professional life.

Apart from the breakup of his marriage, the upheaval also cost Woods his world number one ranking - which went to Englishman Lee Westwood this month - after a 281-week run at the top.

"I haven't won anything this year so it's understandable why I'm not number one anymore," he said.

"I have to win golf tournaments to get there. That's what has happened in the past and that's what I need to do in the future if I'm to get there again.

"I think I've got a pretty good chance of winning events if I play the way I know I can play. I have been through some pretty big swing changes of late."