Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Roller-coaster day ends well for Laird

Times wires
Sunday, March 27, 2011

ORLANDO — All that stood between Martin Laird and victory at Bay Hill were two putts from inside 90 feet on the 18th hole, which didn't seem that long considering what he already had been through Sunday.

First came a collapse that took him from a three-shot lead to a three-shot deficit in seven holes. He was three shots behind when he walked off the 14th green, two shots ahead as he headed to the 17th tee.

Laird knocked the first putt up to 31/2 feet, then jabbed his fist when he rolled in the par putt to win the PGA Tour's Arnold Palmer Invitational.

"That was a tough fight out there," the 28-year-old from Scotland said. "It was a battle out there, but you know, it makes it even sweeter at the end when I got this trophy."

In the toughest final round on the tour this year, Laird was strong at the end with two birdies and two clutch pars to close with 3-over 75, the highest final round by a winner in the 33-year history at Bay Hill. His final total was 8-under 280.

That two-putt par on the 18th was just enough for a one-shot victory over hard-luck Steve Marino, who lost three shots on two plugged lies in bunkers over the last four holes. Marino followed a double bogey on the par-3 17th with an all-or-nothing shot over the water at the flag to 8 feet on the last hole for birdie and 72.

Laird became the first European to win at Bay Hill. He now heads to next week's Masters for the first major of the year.

Tiger Woods, a six-time winner at Bay Hill, was poised for a second straight top-10 finish until he made bogey from the bunker on the 17th and hit his approach into the water on No. 18 for double bogey and 72. In his final tournament before the Masters, Woods tied for 24th, seven shots behind at 1 under.

"I played well (Sunday). I hit the ball well all day," said Woods, who had three birdies and no bogeys through his first 16 holes.

"This year I felt like I've played my way into shape. I've kept progressing, and early in the year was disappointing because the conditions showed some signs of weakness that I had to work on. Now it's feeling very, very good."

Phil Mickelson dropped three shots on the last five holes for 73 to also finish in a tie for 24th.

LPGA: Former Gator Sandra Gal won the Kia Classic, beating second-ranked Jiyai Shin with a 2-foot birdie putt on the final hole in Industry, Calif. Gal, 25, closed with 2-under 71 to finish at 16-under 276. Shin finished with 73. Seminole's Brittany Lincicome finished the day 2-over 75 and was 3 over for the tournament.

Source: http://www.tampabay.com/sports/roller-coaster-day-ends-well-for-laird/1160144

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