Sport
Update: Tiger Woods reclaims title of world’s No. 1 golfer with win at Bay Hill
Tiger Woods hits from the seventh tee during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament, Monday, March 25, 2013, in Orlando, Fla. PHOTO/John Raoux/AP
Tiger Woods is back to No. 1 in the world with a game that look as good as ever.
Woods tied a PGA Tour record Monday by winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the eighth time, and this one had some extra significance. It returned him to the top of the world ranking for the first time since the final week of October 2010, the longest spell of his career.
Woods never let anyone closer than two shots in the final round at Bay Hill that was delayed one day by storms. With a conservative bogey he could afford on the last hole, he closed with a 2-under 70 for a two-shot win over Justin Rose.
Next up is the Masters, where Woods will try to end his five-year drought in the majors. Woods fell as low as No. 58 in the world as he coped with a crisis in his personal life and injuries to his left leg.
“It’s a byproduct of hard work, patience and getting back to winning golf tournaments,” Woods said.
Like so many other wins, this one was never really close.
Rickie Fowler pulled to within two shots with a 25-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole, but after he and Woods made bogey on the 15th, Fowler went at the flag on the par-5 16th and came up a few yards short and into the water. Fowler put another ball into the water and made triple bogey.
