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15-time major winner Tiger Woods was told the news of Bryant's death after his final round at the Farmers Insurance Open in California.

He said: "[Caddie] Joey [La Cava] told me coming off 18th green I didn’t understand why the crowd was saying “beautiful Mamba” now I know.

"It’s unbelievably sad and the reality is sinking in because I was told about five minutes ago.

"He brought a desire to win every night on both ends of the floor, not too many guys can say that. Any time he was in the game he’d take on their best player."