Tiger Woods hams it up with tournament namesake Arnold Palmer after the win.
Credit: Getty Images
Tiger Woods is back on top of the golf world — officially, that is.
Woods claimed the title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Monday morning in a rain delayed final round. Woods shot a 2-under 70 in his final 18, bogeying the last hole. But he had built a three-stroke lead on second-place finisher Justin Rose by that point. He finished the tournament at 13-under par.
But more so than the $1,116,000 he took for the top spot, the win closed his ascension to the No. 1 spot atop the world golf rankings. He last held that spot in October 2010, a year after news broke of his infidelity with multiple women from across the country. His marriage ended in divorce and he fell as low as No. 58 in the world rankings. He also dealt with multiple leg injuries and surgery on his left knee.
He stole the top spot from Rory McIlroy, who claimed it last August after winning the PGA Championship. McIlroy did not play at Bay Hill and hasn’t competed since the Accenture World Golf Championships on March 10, where he finished in a tie for eighth place.
Woods has three wins on the season, before the first major has even taken place. The Masters, the first major of the PGA season, begins on April 11.
New flame Lindsey Vonn already cryptically congratulated Woods on his accomplishment via Twitter.
Number 1 !!!!!!!!!!!!!
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) March 25, 2013
