Magnificent McIlroy fires a 64 to win for first time since 2016

Rory McIlroy last night ended a winning drought that stretched back 18 months in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The Northern Irishman last won in the Tour Championship in September 2016, but was in great form at Bay Hill.

A magnificent 25 footer at the last saw him sign for an eight under par round of 64 which clinched victory on 18 under.

The Northern Irishman made par on each of his first five holes before making back-to-back gains on the sixth and seventh to move to within two shots of leader Henrik Stenson.

McIlroy’s approach to within 11 feet on the ninth allowed him to collect his third birdie of the day and he was in a share of the lead when the Swede bogeyed the eighth.

He then hit the front courtesy of back-to-back birdies at the 13th and 14th.

McIlroy marvellously chipped in from off the green for his third successive birdie and made it four in a row with a simple tap in after he narrowly missed a putt from 20 feet for eagle. That took him three clear of Justin Rose and Stenson.

McIlroy was close to making it a fifth consecutive birdie at the 17th, but had to settle for par before American Bryson DeChambeau fired himself right into contention with an eagle at the 16th to go one shot off the lead.

Meanwhile, Tiger Woods’ charge on the final day stalled with a bogey just before the turn.

Woods moved on to 10 under par overall with birdies at the fourth, sixth and eighth, but was unable to recover from a wayward tee shot on the ninth as he dropped back a shot.

For the second Sunday in succession Woods, playing just his fifth PGA Tour event since undergoing spinal fusion surgery last April, was in contention.

He finished in a tie for second in last week’s Valspar Championship, just one shot behind winner Paul Casey, and three birdies in the space of four holes here showed that was not a flash in the pan.

However, hopes that he would secure his first victory since August 2013 were dented when he went out of bounds off the tee on the par-five 16th.

That left the 42-year-old needing to hole from more than 25 feet to save par, which he was unable to do, and he slipped three adrift of the lead with two holes remaining.

His bid was ended when he also bogeyed the 17th after finding a greenside bunker with his tee shot.

Woods made par at the last as he signed for a 69 to finish on 10 under, but will be pleased with the progress he has made on the latest stage of his comeback.

Picture: Getty. Tiger Woods celebrates as he holes his putt on the sixth hole in yesterday’s final round.

Picture: Getty. Rory McIlroy reacts to his birdie at the sixth hole.