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Tiger Woods wins the Masters in dramatic fashion

AUGUSTA, Ga. — The roars were never louder. Tiger Woods won his fifth Masters on Sunday in dramatic fashion, taking the lead on the 15th hole and sending the patrons at Augusta National into a frenzy as they witnessed one of the game’s greatest players of all time claim his 15th major championship. “It’s overwhelming, just because of what has transpired,” Woods said. “Last year I was lucky to be playing again. At the previous year’s dinner, I was really struggling. I missed a couple of years not playing this great tournament. To now be the champion … 22 years between wins is a long time. It’s unreal to experience this.” Woods had never come from behind to win a major. Until Sunday. It was also Woods’ 81st PGA TOUR victory and his first since winning the TOUR Championship to end last season. Here’s a hole-by-hole look at Woods’ final round. RELATED: Final leaderboard | What’s in Tiger’s bag? | Tales of Tiger’s equipment Tiger hole-by-hole (Round 4) ROUND 4 STATS: 10 of 14 fairways hit, 15 of 18 greens in regulation, 32 putts 18 (465 yards, par 4): Tiger fits his tee shot between the trees, and it leaks just into the second cut. He has a two-shot lead, so he only needs a bogey to win. His second shot knicks a tree limb, though, and falls short and right of the green. He’ll have to get down in three from about 50 yards away. He pitches safely to 10 feet and his par putt just slides by the hole. The stage is clear for Woods, and he taps in for his 15th major championship and fifth Masters title. It’s also his 81st PGA TOUR victory, leaving him one short of Sam Snead’s record. (Overall: 13 under, winner)   17 (440 yards, par 4): Tiger is in complete control. Another tee shot down the middle of the fairway and an approach shot safely onto the green. Woods hit his approach shot to 10 feet, then two-putted for par to take a two-shot lead to the final hole. (Overall: 14 under, solo leader) 16 (170 yards, par 3): Tiger, now the solo leader of the Masters, takes advantage of the traditional Sunday hole location, hitting an 8-rion within 3 feet of the hole. He makes the birdie putt. TWO. SHOT. LEAD. (Overall: 14 under, solo leader) 15 (530 yards, par 5): Tiger’s strong driving continues with another high fade into the fairway. He hit the middle of the green with a 217-yard approach. The two-putt gives Tiger Woods his first solo lead of the week. He’s 13 under, one shot ahead of three players. (Overall: 13 under, solo leader) 14 (440 yards, par 4): A high power-cut finds the fairway, leaving Tiger just 157 yards to the hole. He hits it 15 feet left of the flag, just left of a slope that would have funneled his ball closer to the hole. Woods watches as the slick birdie putt slides by the hole, but he taps in for par to stay in a share of the lead with Xander Schauffele and Francesco Molinari. (Overall: 12 under, tied for the lead) 13 (510 yards, par 5): Tiger is tied for the lead! He slips at impact, but his tee shot still finds the fairway. He’s left with just 161 yards. He misread the wind, but he’ll have a 30-footer for eagle. He two-putts for birdie to reach 12 under and tie Xander Schauffele and Francesco Molinari for the lead. (Overall: 12 under, tied for the lead)  12 (155 yards, par 3): After his par on 11, Tiger is second up on the 12th. They have to wait for the group ahead of them to putt out, though. Woods hits his tee shot safely on the left side of the green after Molinari’s tee shot hits into the bank and rolls into the water. Tony Finau follows Woods into the water. After a lengthy wait while they took their drops, Woods lags his 51-foot birdie putt about 6 feet short of the hole. Woods makes it to tie the lead for the first time this week. There are seven players separated by a shot. (Overall: 11 under, tied for lead) 11 (505 yards, par 4): Tiger blasts driver well right of the trees, but he has a clearing through the trees. He blasts a low draw onto the green from 178 yards, leaving himself a downhill, 30-footer putt. He burns the edge, but two-putts for par. A good recovery. (Overall: 11 under, two shots behind) 10 (495 yards, par 4): Woods starts the second nine alone in second place, just one stroke behind Francesco Molinari. He takes fairway wood off the tee, trying to bend a draw around the corner. Woods leaves his shot out to the right, though, and his ball comes to rest in the pine straw. He’s 213 yards from the hole, but his ball is behind a magnolia tree. Pitching out is his only option. He still has 170 yards remaining for his third shot, which he hits to the back fringe. He two-putts for just his second bogey on the back nine this week, ending a streak of 19 straight bogey-free holes on that half of the golf course. (Overall: 11 under, two shots behind) FRONT 9 STATS: 4 of 7 fairways hit, 8 of 9 greens in regulation, 16 putts 9 (par 4, 460 yards): Tiger’s 288-yard drive is nicely placed, down the right side of the fairway, leaving him a nice angle on the dogleg left hole. From 168 yards, his approach brings a smile – of disgust – as his ball ends up at the back of the green on a front pin. Length of his birdie putt? 70 feet. No worries, as he judges it perfectly, aiming it right toward the fringe and letting it roll down toward the hole. A tap-in par and a sigh of relief. Molinari follows with another critical par to maintain the lead at the turn. (Overall: 12 under, one shot behind) 8 (par 5, 570 yards): His 310-yard drive is drifting right, but crisis averted as it finishes in the second cut with a nice lie. Much better than Molinari, who landed in the bunker. From 258 yards away, Tiger pulls the 5-wood and it comes out hot. “That may be on the next tee box,â€� he jokes as the ball rumbles past the green. From behind the green, near a camera tower, Woods chips back onto the green, leaving him 7 feet for birdie. But before his attempt, Molinari rolls in on his own birdie. Tiger matches him to stay within reach. (Overall: 12 under, one shot behind) 7 (par 4, 450 yards): The winds start to gust as Tiger steps up to the tee, so he backs off to reset. It’s a wise move, as his drive travels 296 yards and split the fairway. With 146 to the pin, Tiger’s approach is perfect – above the pin, with the ball rolling back and just missing the hole on the right side. It’ll be an easy 2-foot birdie, and with Molinari off the green and short of the right bunker, this could be a pivotal hole. When Molinari misses his 11-foot par save, it’s the first time in 50 holes he’s suffered a bogey (the second longest streak in Masters history) and the first time in 20 attempts all week he’s failed to successfully scramble. Tiger then taps in for birdie and the two-shot swing. (Overall: 11 under, one shot behind) 6 (par 3, 180 yards): Tiger gets a much-needed spark with a terrific tee shot that hits short of the pin and stays on the shelf, giving him a look at birdie from 11 feet. But his putt dies off to the right, and after he taps in for birdie, he stares at the hole and the lost opportunity. With Molinari successfully scrambling again for par, the potential two-shot swing turns into a par push. (Overall: 10 under, three shots behind) 5 (par 4, 495 yards): In each of the first three rounds, Tiger’s drive at this renovated hole found the left-side bunker, setting up bogey each day. This time, it’s a little victory, as his 278-yard drive stays in the fairway this time while both of his playing partners scatter the gallery on the right. Tiger leans on his approach from 219 yards but his ball stays right, finding the green but on the other side of the ridge from the pin, 39 feet away. It’s a difficult birdie putt, and Tiger’s ball finishes 11 feet away past the pin. His par save slides by on the left, and he suffers his fourth bogey of the week at this hole. Meanwhile, Molinari successfully scrambles for the 18th time this week to extend his lead to three shots. (Overall: 10 under, three shots behind) 4 (par 3, 240 yards): His tee shot is on-line but is a club short and ends up rolling off the front of the green, with the pin in the back 31 yards away. Tiger’s chip leaves him 10 feet short of the pin, and his par putt clips the right side. The bogey gives back the shot he gained on the previous hole and halts the momentum. (Overall: 11 under, two shots behind) 3 (par 4, 350 yards): Like Molinari, Tiger opts for a long iron off the tee to take the bunkers out of play. His downhill wedge shot from 126 yards draws cheers, as it stops pin-high left, 8 feet away. He’s the only one of his group to find the green in regulation, and it pays off, as he buries the tricky fast birdie putt to move within one shot of Molinari’s lead. “It’ll be an interesting chess match to see who blinks first,â€� says CBS’ Peter Kostis of Tiger vs. Molinari. (Overall: 12 under, one shot behind) 2 (par 5, 575 yards): Tiger’s first use of driver on the day doesn’t go well, as his 245-yard tee shot sails into the pine straw on the left side under the trees. Perhaps a bit fortunate, he’s got an uphill opening to punch out into the fairway, leaving him 217 yards for this third. He asks for it to get up “a littleâ€� but it’s about a yard short of optimal. The ball bounces onto the green, but he’s left with a 59-foot birdie putt. His lengthy attempt offers a wide berth around the left side of the hole, and he rolls in the 6-footer to save par. With Molinari and Finau missing their birdie attempts, Tiger must feel like he got away with one after the poor drive. (Overall: 11 under, two shots behind) 1 (par 4, 445 yards): Tiger tees off last in his group, and not surprisingly draws the biggest cheers. With 3-wood again off the tee – he wants to avoid the bunkers on the right – his 277-yard drive ends up on the left side of the fairway. His second finishes 27 feet on the front part of the green, but his aggressive birdie attempt slides by on the left side. A stress-free par start. (Overall: 11 under, two shots behind) Tiger pre-round notes A few fun facts entering Sunday’s final round: Woods enters his round at 11 under. Each time he’s been 11 under or better through 54 holes at Augusta National, he’s won (2005/-11, 2002/-11, 2001/-12, 1997/-15) His 205 score (11 under) marks his best opening 54-hole total since 2005 (74-66-65—205), his last of four Masters wins. Seeks his fifth Masters title and 15th major championship victory while chasing Jack Nicklaus’ record in both (Masters/6, Majors/18). A win Sunday would be his 81st on the PGA TOUR, one shy of Sam Snead’s all-time record. At No. 12 in the Official World Golf Ranking, he’s the highest-ranked former champion in the field At 43 years, 3 months, 14 days on Sunday, would become the second-oldest winner: Jack Nicklaus/1986 (46 years, 2 months, 23 days) Would become the seventh player in his 40s to win the Masters (Jack Nicklaus/46/1986, Ben Crenshaw/43/1995, Gary Player/42/1978, Sam Snead/41/1954, Mark O’Meara/41/1998, Ben Hogan/40/1953) Ranks T2 in Greens in Regulation with 43/54 behind Thorbjorn Olesen (45/54). Best finish in five starts this season came in last start – T5/WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play.  

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Major Specials 2025
Type: To Win A Major 2025 - Status: OPEN
Bryson DeChambeau+500
Jon Rahm+750
Collin Morikawa+900
Xander Schauffele+900
Ludvig Aberg+1000
Justin Thomas+1100
Joaquin Niemann+1400
Shane Lowry+1600
Tommy Fleetwood+1800
Tyrrell Hatton+1800
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US Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+275
Rory McIlroy+650
Bryson DeChambeau+700
Jon Rahm+1200
Xander Schauffele+2000
Ludvig Aberg+2200
Collin Morikawa+2500
Justin Thomas+3000
Joaquin Niemann+3500
Shane Lowry+3500
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The Open 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
Scottie Scheffler+400
Rory McIlroy+500
Xander Schauffele+1200
Ludvig Aberg+1400
Collin Morikawa+1600
Jon Rahm+1600
Bryson DeChambeau+2000
Shane Lowry+2500
Tommy Fleetwood+2500
Tyrrell Hatton+2500
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Ryder Cup 2025
Type: Winner - Status: OPEN
USA-150
Europe+140
Tie+1200

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2020-21 Qualifiers for majors, THE PLAYERS, WGCs2020-21 Qualifiers for majors, THE PLAYERS, WGCs

It's convenient practically for the end-of-year Official World Golf Ranking to be used to help fill the field at the next Masters, but it's also a coincidence that it occurs during the holiday season. For all intents and purposes, it's the gift that keeps on giving, even in an unprecedented year like 2020 as the world deals with the impact of a pandemic. With rare occasion to the contrary, all tours around the world take two weeks off to honor the holidays of Christmas and New Year's. So, once two tournaments on minor tours concluded this weekend and with no action around the world until January, the last OWGR of the calendar year was determined. Now that it's official, 2021 Masters invitations can be printed. Ten golfers in the top 50 of the OWGR through Dec. 31 have qualified for the Masters via this provision. Exemptions range from Matthew Fitzpatrick (16th) and Tommy Fleetwood (17th) through Ian Poulter (48th) and Matt Wallace (50th). All 10 have competed in at least once Masters previously. Those on the immediate outside of the top 50 and not yet eligible for the Masters include Erik van Rooyen (51st), Kevin Streelman (52nd), Rickie Fowler (53rd), Robert MacIntyre (55th), Chez Reavie (56th), Russell Henley (57th), Andy Sullivan (58th) and Will Zalatoris (59th). Those who made the largest leaps from the opening OWGR of 2020 to crack the top 50 in the final OWGR of the year include Daniel Berger (154th to 13th), Matthew Wolff (117th to 15th), Harris English (183rd to 28th) and Mackenzie Hughes (264th to 49th), but each already qualified for the 2021 Masters via another exemption. If you haven't visited this page since before the conclusion of the DP World Tour Championship, Dubai, you missed the 15 additions to the World Golf Championship-Mexico Championship via the 2020 Race to Dubai. Also, an update on Dec. 18 added 109 golfers to The Open Championship when the R&A released its qualifying criteria for a unique build of the 2021 edition of its major. Because it existed for only two days before this update for the Masters, the recap of the exemptions into The Open remains published in its entirety. PREVIOUS UPDATE (Dec. 18): The R&A today released the field for The Open Championship on July 15-18. Exemptions for all qualifiers for the 2020 edition that was canceled are honored, while adjustments necessary due to the impact of the pandemic were made. Because the shutdown occurred before the 2020 Open Qualifying Series concluded, none of the 2021 editions of the contributing events that were canceled or rescheduled in 2020 will be utilized. Instead, exemptions for the top 10 in the 2020 FedExCup and the top 10 in the 2020 Race to Dubai have helped fill the field. The R&A also extended Alex Noren's exemption for winning the 2017 BMW PGA Championship another year. The only previous automatic qualifier who isn't an eligible former champion and isn't listed below is 2019 U.S. Amateur champion Andy Ogletree. He forfeited his exemption when he turned professional this fall. REMAINING QUALIFYING CRITERIA for The Open has been updated below the alphabetical list. UPDATE (Dec. 22): As anticipated, the qualifying criteria for the two stroke-play World Golf Championships has been updated for 2021. WGC-Mexico Championship The traditional exemptions for the top two on the Japan Golf Tour's season-ending Order of Merit are honored - Yuki Inamori (first) and Chan Kim (second). Of the pair, only Kim has qualified previously(2018), but he elected not to compete. If either climbs into the top 50 of the Official World Golf Rankingon Feb. 15 or Feb. 22, then Takumi Kanaya (third in the Order of Merit) would be exempt. If both are positioned inside the top 50, then Rikuya Hoshino (fourth) also would be exempt. As of the final OWGR of 2020, Inamori is 157th and Kim is 74th. The Australasian Tour also sends its top two on the season-ending Order of Merit, but the circuit extended its season to conclude with the NSW Open on March 28 due to the pandemic. So, the top two in the year-ending Order of Merit have received the exemptions. Both Brad Kennedy (first) and Min Woo Lee (second) will be first-timers at Club de Golf Chapultepec. (In Lee's only start on the Australasian Tour in 2020, he won the ISPS Handa Vic Open on Feb. 9.) If Kennedy (157th in the OWGR) and/or Lee (170th) crack the top 50 of the OWGR on Feb. 15 or Feb. 22, then Ryan Fox (third in the Order of Merit) would gain entry. If both are inside the top 50, then Nick Flanagan (fifth) also would gain get in. Lucas Herbert (fourth) already has qualified. Because the Asian Tour canceled its 2020 season, the exemptions customarily reserved for its top two in the season-ending Order of Merit now will go to the top two in the Order of Merit on Feb. 8. WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational The last four exemptions have been defined. The winners of the Dimension Data Pro-Am (Feb. 14) and the Japan Golf Tour Championship (TBD) will gain entry. They will fulfill the exemptions traditionally reserved for the Sunshine Tour and Japan Golf Tour, respectively. Meanwhile, in lieu of winners of specific events on the Australasian and Asian Tours, the Order of Merit leaders on March 28 and July 12, respectively, will receive the exemptions. NOTE: Golfers are omitted if they recently haven't competed in majors for which they are eligible (e.g. PGA Championship=David Toms; The Open Championship=Justin Leonard). TPC = THE PLAYERS Championship MAS = Masters (Second edition of the 2020-21 PGA TOUR season) PGA = PGA Championship US = U.S. Open (Second edition of the 2020-21 PGA TOUR season) OPEN = The Open Championship MEX = WGC-Mexico Championship MP = WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play SJI = WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational Recent Additions TPC — none MAS — Christiaan Bezuidenhout; Matthew Fitzpatrick; Tommy Fleetwood; Matt Kuchar; Victor Perez; Ian Poulter; Justin Rose; Matt Wallace; Lee Westwood; Bernd Wiesberger PGA — none US — none OPEN — 109 golfers as recognized below MEX — Yuki Inamori; Brad Kennedy; Chan Kim; Min Woo Lee MP — none SJI — none REMAINING QUALIFYING CRITERIA Criteria are listed in chronological order where possible. Best estimates are given but all are subject to change. MASTERS (MAS) @ Augusta National Golf Club - April 8-11 • Winners of PGA TOUR events that award full FedExCup points allocation for the TOUR Championship from the originally scheduled 2020 Masters (April 9-12) through the week before the 2021 Masters. • Top 50 from Official World Golf Ranking (March 29). • Special invitations to international players per Masters Tournament Committee at its discretion. PGA CHAMPIONSHIP (PGA) @ The Ocean Course at Kiawah Island Golf Resort - May 20-23 • Winners of PGA TOUR events thru the final week before the 2021 PGA Championship. • Top 20 from PGA Professional National Championship (TBD). • Top 70 from special money list (i.e. “PGA Championship Points”) on PGA TOUR from 2020 WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational/Barracuda Championship thru 2021 Wells Fargo Championship (May 9). • *All 2018 Ryder Cup members, provided they are inside Top 100 of Official World Golf Ranking (May 10). • Special exemptions per PGA of America. (This likely will include all golfers inside Top 100 of the Official World Golf Ranking on May 10.) • If necessary to complete the field of 156, golfers outside Top 70 from special money list (three lines above) will gain entry in order of position. U.S. OPEN (US) @ Torrey Pines Golf Course (South) - June 17-20 • TBD THE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP (OPEN) @ Royal St. George’s Golf Club - July 15-18 • Winner of THE PLAYERS (March 14). • Order of Merit leader on the Australasian Tour (March 28). • Order of Merit leader on the Sunshine Tour (March 28). • Winner of the Masters (April 11). • Winner of the Asia Pacific Diamond Cup (May 16). • Winner of the PGA Championship (May 23). • Top 50 from Official World Golf Ranking (May 24). • Top 2, not otherwise exempt, at The Mizuno Open (TBD). • Winner of British Amateur, if still an amateur (June 19). • Winner of U.S. Open (June 20). • Winner of the European Amateur Championship, if still an amateur (TBD). • Top 5 and ties, not otherwise exempt, inside Top 20 in Race to Dubai thru the BMW International Open (June 27). • Top 5 and ties, not otherwise exempt, inside Top 20 in FedExCup points thru the Travelers Championship (June 27). • Minimum of eight spots via Local Final Qualifying (June). WGC-MEXICO CHAMPIONSHIP (MEX) @ Club de Golf Chapultepec - Feb. 25-28 • Top 2 from Asian Tour Order of Merit, not otherwise exempt (Feb. 8). • Top 10 from Race to Dubai (Feb. 15). • Top 50 from Official World Golf Ranking (Feb. 15). • Highest-ranked golfer from Mexico in the Official World Golf Ranking. If already eligible, the second-highest-ranked inside the Top 300 of the OWGR (Feb. 15). • Top 10 in FedExCup points (Feb. 22). • Top 50 from Official World Golf Ranking (Feb. 22). • If necessary to complete the field of 72, golfers outside the Top 50 in the Official World Golf Ranking on Feb. 22 will gain entry in order of position. THE PLAYERS CHAMPIONSHIP (TPC) @ TPC Sawgrass (Stadium) - March 11-14 • Winners of PGA TOUR events thru the final week before THE PLAYERS. • Top 125 in FedExCup points from the start of the 2019-20 season thru the 2021 WGC-Mexico Championship/Puerto Rico Open. Points in the 2020 Playoffs are weighted the same as a WGC (Feb. 28). • Top 10 in FedExCup points in 2020-21 only (March 1). • Top 50 from Official World Golf Ranking (March 1). • If necessary to complete the field of 144, golfers outside the Top 10 in FedExCup points in 2020-21 only on March 1 will gain entry in order of position. WGC-DELL TECHNOLOGIES MATCH PLAY (MP) @ Austin Country Club - March 24-28 • Top 64 inside Top 100 in the Official World Golf Ranking (March 15). WGC-FEDEX ST. JUDE INVITATIONAL (SJI) @ TPC Southwind - Aug. 5-8 • Winners of official tournaments from the Federation Tours with an Official World Golf Ranking strength-of-field rating of 115 points or more. • Winner of Dimension Data Pro-Am (Feb. 14). • Order of Merit leader on the Australasian Tour (March 28). • Winner of Japan Golf Tour Championship (TBD). • Order of Merit leader on the Asian Tour (July 12). • Top 50 from Official World Golf Ranking (July 26). • Top 50 from Official World Golf Ranking (Aug. 2).

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Power Rankings: Arnold Palmer InvitationalPower Rankings: Arnold Palmer Invitational

Depending on your exposure, fusion might be most familiar as the scientific process in which multiple particles come together. You may also think of it as when jazz met rock and roll. Or maybe the winner of the word association is the popular sedan. With Tiger Woods performing as well as he has in 2018, we have to wonder if back surgeons are getting flooded with inquiries on another application: fusion surgery. Then there are the folks who play fantasy golf and lean on the fusion of current form with course history to identify value. Lo and behold, Woods is the father of all synergies at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. With eight victories at Bay Hill Golf Club and Lodge, his margin over Vijay Singh in second place on the tournament’s all-time money list is more than $2 million greater than The Big Fijian’s total. Despite Woods’ incredible success at Bay Hill, he’s seeing the four-year-old renovation for the first time this week. Scroll past the ranking for more on how Palmer’s beloved test has matched up in the 120-man invitational. First appearance at Bay Hill since 2013 title, his fourth in last five trips. Tee-to-green game was the primary foundation of last week’s T2 at Copperhead. Putting was already strong. In the process of a T5 at the Valspar, ranked third in strokes gained: putting with highest recorded clip over four rounds since winning 2011 BMW. Five top 15s at Bay Hill since 2011. Just his third start of 2018. Chased Farmers title with a T2 at Pebble Beach. Winner at Bay Hill in 2016. Currently leading the PGA TOUR in strokes gained: putting. A regular leaderboard presence. Leads the TOUR in birdies-or-better percentage after going for the green. Fourth in adjusted scoring. T10 in Bay Hill debut last year. Continues to excel with his first PGA TOUR card with a P2, a solo third and three more top 25s since late January. Slots third in both adjusted scoring and the all-around. All three paydays in six starts at Bay Hill were top 20s. Now rested from a T5 at the WGC-Mexico where he led the field in total distance of putts holed. Five top fives in 2017-18! First Power Rankings since the WGC-HSBC in October. Opened Florida Swing with T13 at the Honda. Added a T16 at the Valspar. Three top 15s at Bay Hill; T12 in his last in 2016. Prevailed by six at the Asian Development Tour’s stop in Brunei on Saturday. Two wins in last four starts. T5 at WGC-Mexico in between. T6 in both prior starts at Bay Hill. Save the stumble at PGA National (MC), he’s just as hot as he was at this time last year when he placed T4 in his API debut. Third-place finishes in two of last three starts.   Wouldn’t mind tighter form upon arrival for his title defense, but he’s averaged 69.625 on his last eight rounds at Bay Hill. Currently seventh in birdies-or-better percentage. Travels after fading to solo sixth at the Hero Indian Open where he led after both of the first two rounds. Three top 15s in last four starts worldwide. T17-T7 in last two APIs. Italian stallion for Bay Hill with three top 10s and a T17 (2015) in the last four editions. Ranked fourth in strokes gained: tee-to-green en route to a T25 at WGC-Mexico. Relatively quiet opening to 2018 mirrors his track record at Bay Hill. In six prior trips, both of his two top 25s among five cuts made are top 15s. Solo 12th last year. Finally reemerged on the leaderboard at Copperhead (T2) where he led the field in strokes gained: approach. Appearing at Bay Hill for the third time, his first since 2014. Among the notables cut at Copperhead, but he’s been a force at Bay Hill. Five straight top 15s punctuated by top fives from 2014-16. Last year’s MC was an anomaly.  RANK PLAYER COMMENT POWER RANKINGS: ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama, Bubba Watson, Zach Johnson and Kevin Chappell will be among the notables covered in Tuesday’s Fantasy Insider.  This is the 40th edition of the API at Bay Hill. No course could claim to have evolved as much as the stock par 72 in Orlando. The latest sweeping modifications greeted the 2015 field with new Celebration bermudagrass on the fairways and TifEagle Bermuda on the greens (which are not overseeded).  If it can be accepted that three years of play and data are required before attaching identity and expectations to any course after a renovation, then Bay Hill has hit the bull’s-eye. Last year’s scoring average of 72.890 was a four-year high, but moderate-to-gusty winds challenged the field in the first and final rounds. The bottom line is that the course rewards all strengths upon execution. Consider that the leaders in distance of all drives (Rory McIlroy), fairways hit (Adam Hadwin), greens in regulation (champion Marc Leishman), proximity to the hole (McIlroy) and scrambling (Hadwin) all finished inside the top six on the leaderboard.  Leishman’s pace of 11-under 277 was the highest in six years. As referenced above, he got the job done by eliminating the need to scramble more than anyone else, but he also ranked second in strokes gained: putting. Not surprisingly given the value of par, the Aussie also co-led in bogey avoidance in which eight of the 11 golfers who finished inside the top 10 on the leaderboard ranked inside the top 10 for the tournament.  While the absence of dozens of trees felled by Hurricane Irma last September may be noticeable to eyes familiar with the property, the only relevant change to gameplay at Bay Hill since last year occurred beside the green of the par-3 second hole. The bank in between it and the creek isn’t as severe. And despite numerous upgrades, the course will tip at 7,419 yards for the eighth straight year.  Terrific weather is on tap throughout the tournament. Gradually warming daytime highs into the low 80s by Sunday will be accompanied by light breezes and primarily cloudless skies.  The winner will earn a three-year PGA TOUR exemption as well as berths into the next three editions of THE PLAYERS.  ROB BOLTON’S SCHEDULE  PGATOUR.COM’s Fantasy Insider Rob Bolton will be filing his usual staples leading up to this week’s event. Look for the following columns this week.  MONDAY: Rookie Ranking, Qualifiers, Reshuffle, Medical Extensions, Power Rankings  TUESDAY*: Sleepers, Fantasy Insider, Facebook Live  WEDNESDAY: One & Done  * – Rob is a member of the panel for PGATOUR.COM’s Expert Picks for PGA TOUR Fantasy Golf presented by SERVPRO, which also publishes on Tuesdays.

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