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Woods wins by a stroke at Bay Hill

Tiger Woods rolled in a 24-foot downhill putt on the final hole on Sunday to capture the Arnold Palmer Invitational, extending his USPGA Tour win streak to five-straight tournaments.

The 13-time major winner fired a final-round four-under 66 to reach 10-under 270 overall, using the birdie on 18 to defeat fellow American Bart Bryant by one stroke at the Bay Hill course.

Woods won in dynamic fashion, sinking his first putt of the tournament from 20 feet or more after missing the previous 21 putts from that range.

As he watched the ball curl its way to the cup, Woods took six steps and then slammed his cap to the ground and pumped his fist in celebration.

"I don't know how I did that," said Woods, who earned US$1.04 million in prize money. "I was just trying to get good speed and it went in."

Despite starting the day tied for the lead among one of the most crowded 36-hole leaderboards on the Tour in recent years, Woods was considered the one to beat on Sunday.

"I kept telling myself, `I've done this before and I can do it again,'" Woods said. "I was just trying to make sure I got the speed right. I felt good over the putt. I hit the putt down there and it took forever to start breaking, but once it started, it went straight right and in the hole."

Woods has now won five straight and eight of his last nine worldwide Tour events.

Woods also captured his 64th career crown to match the late Ben Hogan for third on the all-time win list.

Sam Snead leads the all-time PGA win list with 82 titles with Jack Nicklaus second on 73.

"It is amazing to be in that company," Woods said. "I hope it continues."

Woods, who started Sunday in a five-way tie for the lead, left his 167 yard approach over the water on the 18th hole to the left of the flag. He then needed to sink the long downhill putt to avoid a playoff with Bryant.

"I don't know where it ranks," he said. "It was great to make the putt, but I was so excited with the five-iron I hit in there to give myself a putt at it."

"You have to understand I had not hit the ball well the last three days, and then to have that shot with everything on the line, and to hit a shot and give myself a putt at it, I was so fired up," Woods said.

Bryant carded 67 to finish alone in second place, with Fiji's Vijay Singh, Cliff Kresge and Sean O'Hair tied for third at seven-under.

"I was pretty hopeless sitting there in the trailer, but I did what I thought I was supposed to do, which was put the pressure back on Tiger to make the play. He has a habit of making it when he needs to," Bryant said.

Woods has won six straight times worldwide, counting the European Tour's Dubai Desert Classic which he won earlier this year.

Only two players other than Woods have won at least six consecutive times on the PGA Tour -- Byron Nelson (11) and Ben Hogan (six). Woods's longest PGA Tour winning streak was seven tournaments, stretching from the 2006 British Open to last year's Buick Invitational.

"Out here on tour, we understand what he's doing, the magnitude of it," Bryant said. "I think the golf public in general doesn't get it, to be honest with you."

"It's just incredible. What he did today is another piece of evidence of this weird zone he's in, and he's been in like his whole life. I don't know how to explain it," he said.

Bryant, who was playing ahead of Woods, had a feeling he would come up just short. After parring the last to remain tied for the lead, he could only wait and watch the world No. 1 roll in a long downhill putt for victory.

"It didn't surprise me one bit," Bryant said. "What are you going to do? It was in his hands and he obviously hit a great putt."
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