Tiger Wraps Up 77th Tour Title


Tiger Woods closed with a 2-under 70 to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the eighth time. The $6.2 million PGA Tour event had a Monday finish after Sunday's final round was suspended due a dangerous storm that swept through the tournament site, Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando.

On a bright, sunny day in central Florida, Woods cruised. After three birdies and a bogey on the front nine, he added two birdies and a pair of bogeys the rest of the way to finish at 13-under 275, two strokes ahead of England's Justin Rose (70) and five in front of Mark Wilson (71), Keegan Bradley (71), Spain's Gonzalo Fdez-Castano (72) and Rickie Fowler. The 24-year-old Fowler played in the final twosome with Woods and posted a 73.

Woods' total of eight titles in the Arnold Palmer Invitational ties the all-time mark for the most wins in the same tournament previously held by Sam Snead (Greater Greensboro Open). It allowed him to supplant Rory McIlroy as the top-ranked player in the world, and take a 324-point lead over Brandt Snedeker in the season-long FedEx Cup race.

Woods, who's won three times this year, returns to the top spot in the rankings for the first time since October 30, 2010.

When asked at greenside why he's had so much success in Arnie's tournament, Woods said matter-of-factly, "I play well here - it's as simple as it gets."

As for him regaining the No. 1 spot in the world golf rankings Woods, added, "Hard work, it's a product of hard work. I've won some golf tournaments and (when that happens) you move up."

The victory, worth $1.08 million, was the 77th in Woods' storied career. He's second on the career wins list and only five victories away from matching Snead's all-time record.

There are only two players who've won seven wins or more in the same tournament, and Woods has done that four times. In addition to his eight API titles, he's won the Farmers Insurance Open, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational and WGC-Cadillac Champion seven times.

The tournament host doesn't believe Woods' win total in his tournament will ever be equaled. "No, I didn't think anyone would (match that record)," Palmer told PGATour.com. "I don't see anyone touching that for a long time."

Alone in seventh at 7-under 281 was Denmark's Thorbjorn Olesen (73), and another stroke back in eighth were William McGirt (68), Sweden's Henrik Stenson (71), Bill Haas (74), Jimmy Walker (74) and Ken Duke (74).

Scott Brown carded a 69 for solo 13th at 283, and sharing 14th at 284 were Bubba Watson, who shot the low final round - a 5-under 67, Ben Kohles (72), Chris Kirk (70), Camilo Villegas (70), Erik Compton (71), John Rollins (74) and Brian Stuard (75).

For all the scores, visit http://www.pgatour.com/leaderboard.html.