Tiger Woods’ bid to regain golf’s world No.1 ranking with an eighth Bay Hill title was put on hold when a severe thunderstorm forced the final round finish to be pushed to Monday.
Woods and playing partner Rickie Fowler had just completed the second hole when the horns blew to stop play. Woods’s birdie at the par-three second put him 12-under for the tournament and stretched his lead to three strokes over Fowler, Keegan Bradley, Ken Duke and John Huh.
“At least we got a little activity in today, so we’re not completely stagnant,” Woods said before leaving. “We’ve dealt with this before.”
Woods won his seventh Arnold Palmer Invitational title here last year. A record eighth triumph would result in him overtaking Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy on top of the world rankings.
The 14-time major champion had spent a record 623 weeks on top of the world.
But he has not led the rankings since October 2010 after injuries and his infamous sex scandal led to him tumbling from the top 50.
Sunday’s storm swept across the course in dramatic fashion, with gusting winds toppling a television tower behind the 10th green.
NBC broadcaster Dan Hicks tweeted that five camera towers were blown over. Spectators were evacuated from the course and reporters from the media tent as the storm spawned a tornado warning in the area and briefly cut power in the clubhouse.
After play had been stopped for about an hour-and-a-half, officials announced that the round would resume on Monday.
“Golf course is gone – bunkers are gone. We’re going to need time for the course to drain,” said PGA Tour vice president of rules and competition Mark Russell.
Woods took a two-shot lead into the final round after a six-under-par 66 on Saturday.
Woods, who has won 50 times in 54 tries when holding the lead entering the final round, seeks his 77th career PGA triumph – five shy of matching Sam Snead’s all-time record – in his final tuneup event for next month’s Masters.
Woods has won five titles in the past 12 months, a run that began at Palmer’s event last year when he claimed his first PGA title since the sex scandal. This year, Woods has already collected triumphs at Torrey Pines and Doral.
Thirty-three players completed their rounds on Sunday. They included Masters champion Bubba Watson, who carded a five-under 67 for a four-under total of 284.
Sergio Garcia said he wouldn’t be back on Monday, withdrawing after play was suspended.
Before the storm hit, Garcia enlivened the day by climbing five metres up an oak tree to play a shot out near the fairway of the par-four 10th.
Garcia was five-over for the day after a quadruple-bogey, a double-bogey and a bogey along with two birdies in 12 holes.