He’s still got it: Tiger storms back for win

Tiger Woods had not felt such an adrenaline rush in nine months, especially when he stood over a 12-foot birdie putt Sunday at Bay Hill in Orlando, Fla., with only enough sunlight remaining for one last shot.

It made Woods forget that it had been nine months since he played under so much pressure.

And then he made golf remember the magic it had been missing.

With cameras flashing in the approaching darkness, Woods delivered another rock-star moment by making a birdie on the final hole to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one shot and match the largest comeback in his PGA Tour career.

“It feels good to be back in contention, to feel the rush,” Woods said. “It’s been awhile, but God, it felt good.”

It sure looked that way.

Just like last year, when Woods made a 25-foot birdie on the final hole at Bay Hill to win by one, he crouched and backpedaled as the putt rolled toward the cup. But instead of slamming his cap to the ground, he gave a roundhouse fist pump and ran into the arms of caddie Steve Williams, who lifted him off the ground in celebration.

Welcome back, Tiger.

“Last year … there wasn’t any big comeback or anything. I was out there just competing as usual,” Woods said. “This time, it was a little bit different. I hadn’t been in the mix since the U.S. Open, so it was neat to feel the heat on the back nine again.”

Starting the final round five shots behind, Woods closed with a 3-under 67 for a one-shot victory over hard-luck Sean O’Hair. It was the third time Woods won at Bay Hill with a birdie putt on the 18th hole, and this uphill putt was the easiest of all.

Woods donned the blue blazer that goes to the Bay Hill winner. That could go a long way toward winning another jacket at Augusta National, different color.

“Certainly, this win definitely validates all the things I’ve been trying to do,” Woods said.

O’Hair made only one birdie and closed with a 73, but he steadied himself along the back nine until a crucial mistake on the 16th hole, when he went at the flag with Woods in the rough. His 7-iron came up short and into the water, leading to a bogey.

“I think what happened is when the sun was going down a little bit, I guess that kind of proved to me that the ball wasn’t quite going as far,” O’Hair said.

It was the second straight year that O’Hair had to watch Woods celebrate. They were in the final group a year ago when Woods made his big birdie putt to beat Bart Bryant.

Woods finished at 5-under 275 and won $1.08 million for his 66th career victory.

Zach Johnson shot 69 and finished third.

LPGA

Karrie Webb shot a 5-under 67 on for a two-stroke victory in the J Golf LPGA International at Phoenix, her first win on the tour in two years.

The 34-year-old Australian earned her 36th career LPGA Tour title, finishing at 14-under 274. Third-round leader Jiyai Shin of South Korea shot a 70 to finish second.

Another South Korean, In-Kyung Kim – the leader after the first and second rounds – finished three strokes back. She had a 70.

Webb had an eagle, five birdies and two bogeys in breezy conditions on the 6,711-yard Papago Golf Course. She started the day one shot behind Shin, but took the lead just after the turn, then capped her day with a near-eagle on No. 18.

Champions Tour

At Cap Cana, Dominican Republic, Keith Fergus holed out with a wedge from 95 yards for an eagle on the 17th hole, and finished with a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Mark O’Meara and Andy Bean in the Cap Cana Championship.

Fergus finished at 13-under 203, and earned $315,000 for his second Champions Tour title. Bean closed with a 65, and O’Meara shot a 68.