Bryson DeChambeau received a text message Sunday morning
from Tiger Woods to keep fighting, good advice for a final round that turned
out to be the toughest at Bay Hill in 41 years.
Inspiration from Arnold Palmer is everywhere, and DeChambeau
was particularly drawn to the King’s motto to play boldly.
DeChambeau needed every bit of that Sunday to win the Arnold
Palmer Invitational, playing the final 17 holes without a bogey, entertaining
thousands with another monstrous drive over the water and delivering one last
par with a 5-foot putt on the final hole for a one-shot victory over Lee
Westwood.
He looked dapper in his tam o’shanter cap and red cardigan
sweater that goes to the winner.
“I think this red cardigan is not only for Mr. Palmer, but I
would say it’s a little bit for Tiger, as well, knowing what place he’s in
right now,” DeChambeau said.
Woods, recovering from serious leg injuries from his
single-car crash in Los Angeles two weeks ago, would have witnessed quite a
show in blustery conditions, fast fairways and greens to quick they looked
almost white.
DeChambeau closed with a 71, matching the low score of the
final round in which no one broke 70 on Sunday at Bay Hill for the first time
since 1980.
Westwood, who turns 48 next month, was up to the task.
Never mind that DeChambeau’s rocket over the water on the
565-yard sixth hole was 168 yards beyond Westwood. Their second shots were only
6 feet apart and both made birdie.
Westwood fought to the end. He fell out of a share of the
lead with a three-putt bogey from 40 feet on the 14th. Just as critical was
failing to make birdie on the par-5 16th with a wedge for his second shot from
the fairway, and DeChambeau having to scramble for par.
“You can’t want for more than that. I thought we had a
really good battle,” Westwood said. “It was never really more than one (shot)
all day, and there were tough conditions out there. It was a day for playing
sensible and hanging on.”
They were never separated by more than one shot over the
final 15 holes. DeChambeau finished at 11-under 277.
The long ball came in handy for DeChambeau, as much with the
putter as the driver. He holed a 40-foot birdie putt on the fourth hole to
regain a share of the lead. More critical was the 50-foot par putt he made on
No. 11 to stay one ahead.
“Knowing what I know now, it’s obviously the shot of the day
for me,” he said.
Westwood tied him with a 30-foot birdie putt on the par-5
12th, only to give it back with a three-putt on the 14th. The tournament turned
on the par-5 16th, where it was Westwood who had the advantage.
DeChambeau’s drive went up against the lip of a bunker and
he had to lay up short of the water. Westwood had 158 yards and hit a poor
wedge that came up short of the green. He chipped nicely, except that it rolled
out 6 feet by the hole on the lightning-quick greens and he missed the birdie
for a chance to tie.
DeChambeau took the one-shot lead to the 18th and hit his
most important drive of the day — in the fairway. Westwood’s tee shot settled
in a divot, and he did well to get it on the green and two-putt from 65 feet.
DeChambeau’s birdie putt slid by some 5 feet and he shook his arms in
celebration when the par putt dropped.
Westwood closed with a 73, not a bad score considering the
average of 75.49 was the highest for a final round since 1980.
Corey Conners stayed in the mix until the very end. The
Canadian holed a 15-foot eagle putt on the 16th to get within one shot, only to
find a bunker on the par-3 17th and miss a 6-foot par putt. With a bogey on the
final hole, he shot 74 to finish alone in third.
Jordan Spieth was part of a four-man race on the front nine
and briefly tied for the lead with a birdie on the par-5 sixth. That turned out
to be his last birdie of the day. He took bogey on three of his last four holes
for a 75, dropping him into a three-way tie for fourth with Andrew Putnam (71)
and Ricky Werenski (73
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