Tiger Woods became the first player to win three different US PGA Tour events three years in succession when he claimed a four-stroke victory at the $4 million Bay Hill Invitational in Olrando, Florida last night.
The world number one fired a closing three-under-par 69 to finish 13-under on 275, four shots clear of New Zealander Michael Campbell (71). Phil Mickelson, Rocco Mediate, John Huston and Len Mattiace shared third on 280.
Woods won the Memorial and WGC-NEC Invitational three times each between 1999 and 2001, and has now lifted the Bay Hill title in 2000, 2001 and 2002.
He jump-started his round with a par-saving putt at the eighth hole before posting three birdies on the back nine.
The most serious threat came from Mickelson. At one point, he held a two-stroke lead over Woods, but he bogeyed four of the final five holes to fade to a 71.
Woods appeared to be in complete control after a second-round 65 gave him a four-stroke lead heading into the weekend.
But a two-over 74 on Saturday brought him back to the field and he started out yesterday with only a one-shot advantage.
Woods bogeyed the par-four first hole to fall back to nine-under, but got it back with a birdie at the par-five fourth.
Mickelson, meanwhile, had birdies at the third and fourth, taking him to nine-under.
He then made a curving 25-foot birdie putt at the par-four eighth to reach 10-under, while Woods missed a 12-foot par attempt from just off the green at the par-five sixth to drop back to nine-under.
The left-hander increased his lead to two strokes with a 12-foot birdie putt at the par-four 10th, but Woods caught him at 11-under with back-to-back birdies at the ninth and 10th.
Another birdie at the par-five 12th gave Mickelson a one-shot lead, but that proved short-lived. He started to struggle when he missed a 20-foot par putt at the par-four 14th and then signed off with three consecutive bogeys.
Woods took command with a tap-in birdie at the par-five 12th and another birdie at the par-five 16th increased his lead over Campbell.
What had promised to be an outstanding week for Paul McGinley ended in slight disappointment as he shot a 76 and slipped down to a tie for 25th.
