RORY’S ROARING
Palmer event brings McIlroy back to boil as Augusta beckons
Australian Marc leishman kept his nerve to hold off a stirring charge from rory Mcilroy and claim the arnold Palmer invitational yesterday.
leishman, who eagled the 16th with a spectacular 50ft putt, got down in two from a greenside bunker at the 17th and then played a wonderful chip at the 18th for a 69 and a single stroke success over americans Charley Hoffman and Kevin Kisner.
Mcilroy began the weekend 11 shots off the lead before turning in two rounds that did full justice to Palmer’s memory.
He recovered so well that he came to the 18th realising he needed one more birdie to apply pressure on leishman. But, going for broke, he ran the first putt 10ft by and missed the return.
it might have been anti-climactic at the finish but weekend rounds of 65 and 69 have given him momentum with the Masters now just a fortnight away.
For the second Florida event in four weeks, Englishman tyrrell Hatton played the final round with the eventual winner, after partnering rickie Fowler when he won in Palm Beach a month ago.
Hatton struggled for much of the final round but showed his grit with two birdies in the last three holes for a 71 to tie Mcilroy in fourth place and continue his dream start to the season.
Matt Fitzpatrick was another in contention going into the final round but the 22-year- old from sheffield showed his inexperience, struggling to a 76.
as for Mcilroy, how arnie would have loved the swashbuckling manner in which the northern irishman fought his way out of trouble after the first two rounds to make a thrilling run at the title.
Mcilroy gave himself a sniff of victory with his third round 65 and built on that in the final round.
His best play is invariably built on some sterling work from the tee and here it was off -the-charts good.
two of the most difficult par fours at arnie’s course at Bay Hill are the ninth and 15th but not when you hit two arrow-straight drives measuring – wait for it – 381 yards and 373 yards respectively.
this was Mcilroy’s final strokeplay round before the Masters in two weeks and how he has made up for lost time, after missing two months of the season with a fractured rib. there’s clearly nothing wrong with his rib now.
Birdies at the ninth, 10th and 12th holes saw Mcilroy halve a six-shot advantage enjoyed by Kisner. there was just two in it when Kisner bogeyed the 12th and then one when he bogeyed the 14th. a birdie at the 16th and Mcilroy was actually tied for the lead but he came unstuck gambling at the last.
‘ i knew i needed another birdie at the 18th after Marc eagled the 16th,’ he said. ‘it’s a disappointing finish but overall i’m really pleased with how i played on the weekend.’
tommy Fleetwood hasn’t looked back since winning his first title in four years after landing the abu Dhabi Championship in January. His marvellous year looked as if it was about to take a wrong turn when he opened with a 78.
But it shows what an accomplished player the 26-year- old from southport has become that he fought back to finish in the top 10.
He closed with a 68 and playing partner Graeme McDowell was suitably impressed.
‘tommy’s ball striking was really something to see,’ he said. ‘He’s definitely a ryder Cup player in the future and his game should set up well for the Masters. the confidence with which he is playing, i’d even describe him as a sleeper pick.’