The Live Report: Arnold Palmer Invitational, Monday
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By PGATOUR.COM Staff
EASY DOES IT (1:13 p.m.): Ernie Els made his 8-footer for par at the 18th hole and won the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard for the second time in his career. Els, who was the 1998 champion at Bay Hill, also won the World Golf Championships-CA Championship two weeks ago.
With the victory, the 18th of his PGA TOUR career and 46th worldwide, Els took over the lead in the FedExCup. Els, who finished at 11 under, was two strokes ahead of Kevin Na and Edoardo Molinari in the rain-delayed event.
The runner-up finish was the third of Na's career
NAIL-BITING TIME (1:06 p.m.) With Arnold Palmer looking on and applauding, Ernie Els surveyed his third shot from the rough beside the 18th green. He chips it to 8 feet -- but only needs to get down in two to win his second straight start for the third time in his career.
BURIED BUT NOT DONE (12:52 p.m.) After his playing partners hit their tee shots well left -- but within inches of each other -- beside the bleachers at the par-3 17th, Ernie Els took aim.
Things didn't look good when his ball plugged in the wet sand in the greenside bunker, either. But Els blasted out to 7 feet and made the big-time putt for par.
Kevin Na, meanwhile, was having his trouble at the 18th hole. He drove into the right rough and couldn't go for the green that's guarded by water. So he hit his second back into the fairway and the third onto the green. He left his 14-footer for par a revolution short, though.
Now Els will hit his second shot -- from the fairway, no less -- at the 18th hole leading by two strokes.
BRAGGING RIGHTS (12:45 p.m.): Looks like Edoardo Molinari (right) will have bragging rights when he reunites with his brother Francesco at Augusta National. The former U.S. Amateur champ from Italy just rolled in a sweeping 51-footer at the 17th hole to move to 9 under and into sole possession of third place.
Molinari punctuated the birdie putt -- his second striaght -- with a fist pump worthy of the No. 1 player in the game. His brother Francesco tied for fourth on Sunday at the Open de Andalucia de Golf on the European Tour.
ANOTHER ESCAPE (12:39 p.m.): Kevin Na missed his birdie putt at the 17th hole while Els two-putted for a disappointing par at the 16th. At the same time, though, the Big Easy maintained his lead. as he attempts to win his second straight start.
Els' playing partners, Chris Couch and Ben Curtis, both made birdies but they are three behind at 8 under and tied for fourth with Retief Goosen.
NOT SO EASY (12:30 p.m.): Ernie Els drove it right into the trees on the 16th hole and ended up having to play the par-5 as a three-shot hole. He's got a 32-footer for birdie while Kevin Na, playing a group ahead, will be looking at an 18-footer on the par-3 17th for a potential tie.
WHEW (12:20 p.m.): Ernie Els missed the green at the 15th hole, then chipped up 6 feet short of the pin. Kevin Na, meanwhile, was in the process of putting his second shot on the green at the par-5 16th, setting up an eagle putt of 60 feet.
Els made the clutch par putt, though and avoided a potential two-shot swing. But Na putted to 4 feet and made it to close the gap to one.
ALMOST OVER (12:10 p.m. ET): Retief Goosen's chances of winning admittedly are slim as he returned to the 18th hole 8 under and trailing Els by three. The South African made life even more difficult when he hit his approach into the back greenside bunker.
A stellar bunker shot that settled a foot shy of the pin gave Goosen a par and made him the leader in the clubhouse. But he'll need Els and Na to come back to him.
LIFTOFF (12:05 p.m. ET): The final round has resumed. Kevin Na left his 82-foot putt on the 15th hole 5 feet right of the pin. Ernie Els, who leads Na by two, his his drive and found the fairway on the same hole -- his first fairway hit in this last five holes.
WEATHER WOES (11:32 a.m. ET): The rain finally ended around 10 a.m. on Monday -- which was when the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard was originally set to resume. The re-start was moved back until noon so officials could get Bay Hill's final four holes, as well as the last two on the back, ready for play.
The skies are blue now and sunshine has replaced that gray gloom. We're on schedule for the noon start.
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