Woods wins Arnold Palmer Invitational

ORLANDO – Tiger Woods produced a superb 24-foot putt for a dramatic birdie on the final hole to claim his ninth win in 10 tournaments at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday.

World number one Woods went into the 18th hole level with fellow American Bart Bryant on nine-under-par and looked set to be heading for a play-off. Journeyman Bryant, ranked 137th before this event, had kept the pressure on Woods throughout with a consistent round of 67 but was left to watch a perfect putt for victory.”I was trying to get the speed right, trying not to leave myself a second putt and it went in,” said Woods who had been down in 20th place, seven shots off the lead on Friday.Woods ended the day with a four-under-par 66 for a total of 10-under 270 and his seventh consecutive victory worldwide.Bryant, without a PGA tour win since 2005, was philosophical about his last-gasp defeat.”I played the way I felt I had to down the stretch, getting pars to keep the pressure on Tiger.But that is why he is Tiger – he has done it before and he will do it again,” said Bryant.Woods’s 64th PGA Tour victory means he draws level with Ben Hogan in the list of all-time rankings – only Sam Snead (82) and Jack Nicklaus (73) have won more than Woods.Last year’s winner Vijay Singh of Fiji and Americans Cliff Kresge and Sean O’Hair were tied for third place.Nampa-ReutersJourneyman Bryant, ranked 137th before this event, had kept the pressure on Woods throughout with a consistent round of 67 but was left to watch a perfect putt for victory.”I was trying to get the speed right, trying not to leave myself a second putt and it went in,” said Woods who had been down in 20th place, seven shots off the lead on Friday.Woods ended the day with a four-under-par 66 for a total of 10-under 270 and his seventh consecutive victory worldwide.Bryant, without a PGA tour win since 2005, was philosophical about his last-gasp defeat.”I played the way I felt I had to down the stretch, getting pars to keep the pressure on Tiger.But that is why he is Tiger – he has done it before and he will do it again,” said Bryant.Woods’s 64th PGA Tour victory means he draws level with Ben Hogan in the list of all-time rankings – only Sam Snead (82) and Jack Nicklaus (73) have won more than Woods.Last year’s winner Vijay Singh of Fiji and Americans Cliff Kresge and Sean O’Hair were tied for third place.Nampa-Reuters