Monday 19 March 2018 10:16, UK
Rory McIlroy secured a first worldwide victory in 18 months with a stunning three-stroke win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The Northern Irishman fired a bogey-free 64 at Bay Hill, posting five birdies in a six-hole stretch to pull clear of the chasing pack and claim a first title since the 2016 Tour Championship.
Bryson DeChambeau posted a four-under 68 to claim second spot ahead of Justin Rose, with overnight leader Henrik Stenson in fourth after bogeying the last to close a one-under 71.
Tiger Woods was briefly within a shot of the lead until back-to-back bogeys late in his round, with a three-under 69 seeing the eight-time Bay Hill winner finish tied-fifth alongside Ryan Moore.
Stenson began the day with a one-shot lead and rolled in a 12-foot birdie at the first, which moved the Swede two clear when DeChambeau cancelled out his opening-hole gain with a bogey at the next.
The two players exchanged two-putt birdies at the fourth, as McIlroy made his charge up the leaderboard by following back-to-back gains from the sixth by holing a 10-footer at the ninth.
McIlroy grabbed a share of the advantage when Stenson missed from eight feet to save par at the eighth, as Woods closed within one of the lead after following a front-nine 34 with three birdies in a four-hole stretch from the 10th.
DeChambeau stayed in contention by making a long-range two-putt birdie 12th and matching Stenson's gain at the par-five next, where McIlroy holed from the fringe for the first of four consecutive birdies.
The Northern Irishman drained a 20-footer at the 14th, chipped in from off the next green and made a two-putt gain to move top of the leaderboard, before sealing victory with a 25-foot birdie at the last.
DeChambeau eagled the 16th but missed from five feet to save par at the last to finish three strokes back, with Rose in third after three birdies in a five-hole stretch on his way to a five-under 67.
Stenson three-putted the 16th and dropped a shot at the par-four last, with Woods slipping down the leaderboard late on when he went out of bounds off the 16th tee on his way to back-to-back bogeys.
