Woods' putt on No. 18 wins at Bay Hill
ORLANDO, Fla. — Tiger Woods drove away from Bay Hill wearing the navy blue blazer traditionally awarded to the winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. He is more interested in a jacket of a different color, but this was a good start.
Next stop, Augusta National.
Woods couldn't have written a better script Sunday, even if he's guilty of plagiarism. For the second straight year at Bay Hill, he made pivotal putts along the back nine and came to the 18th hole needing a birdie to win. From the middle of the fairway, he had 164 yards to the hole — eerily, the same distance as last year.
Sean O'Hair was in the final group, same as last year.
The putt was far easier this time — only about 12 feet up the hill with a slight left-to-right break — but the outcome was predictable to just about everyone except for the lone voice from the bleachers that blurted out, "Playoff."
Not a chance.
Woods holed the putt, and broke into a routine that also was similar to a year ago. He crouched and backpedaled as the ball rolled to the hole, but instead of slamming his cap to the ground, he punched the air with a roundhouse and hugged his caddie, Steve Williams, who lifted him slightly into the air.
"It feels good to be back in contention, to feel the rush," Woods said. "It's been a while, but God, it felt good."
The final birdie in fading sunlight gave Woods a 3-under 67 and a one-shot victory over O'Hair, who had a five-shot lead going into the final round. It matched Woods' largest comeback on the PGA Tour, and while it wasn't quite as stunning as his rally at Pebble Beach nine years ago, it was no less special.
Woods won for the first time since he returned from reconstructive knee surgery a week after his U.S. Open victory, which kept him out for eight months.
He had two indifferent performances at World Golf Championships — one match play, one stroke play — and there were questions whether he would be ready for the Masters.
Might the blue jacket help him win a green one?
"It does, a lot," Woods said. "This win definitely validates all the things I've been trying to do."
He hit the ball beautifully two weeks ago at Doral and couldn't make a putt. He scraped it around for the better part of three days at Bay Hill and was saved by his short game. Everything fell together in a final round Sunday that was delayed for two hours by rain.
The victory was helpful, but it was the manner in which he won that excited Woods.
For the first time since Torrey Pines, he felt his heart race and his adrenaline rush. After spending four hours trying to catch up to O'Hair, he spent the final hour trying to hang on.
It wasn't without some drama.
