Lee Westwood created history at the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Saturday as he became the first player on the PGA Tour to hold a 54-hole lead in the 1990s, 2000s, 2010s and 2020s after an extraordinary third round at Bay Hill.
The 47-year-old, who has been playing in the tournament since 1998, was at his very best in the third round at Arnie’s Place as he carded eight birdies and an eagle en route to shooting 7 under par and taking a one-shot lead over big-hitting Bryson DeChambeau and Canadian Corey Connors.
Westwood’s impressive 65, which was his lowest score in 49 career rounds at Bay Hill, began with a 30-foot birdie putt at his first hole. The Englishman missed a 5-foot par putt at the second, but then kick-started a run of four birdies in five holes from the fourth to make his way up the leaderboard and continued to climb with another gain at the 10th. A bogey followed at the next but he recovered with a birdie at the 13th, only to hand that shot back at the 15th. A stunning 33-foot eagle putt at 16 saw him get to double digits and he then closed out the round with a 28-foot birdie to become the oldest player to card a 65 or lower at Bay Hill since Fred Couples in 2008.
“I don’t really know. The first time I played it I thought ‘this is good’,” said Westwood when asked why he enjoys the Bay Hill course.
“I like the way it makes you shape the ball into some of the fairways. Obviously, sometimes you have to hit it straight, like 18 – it’s just straightaway. You can fade it into a lot of the fairways, I like fading it up 10. You can draw it into some holes. It just sort of suits my game. I’m not the longest of hitters through the air any more, so it helps if I can use a lot of the fairways and everybody else has to.”
“If you would have said to me 20 years ago, will you still be top 50 in the world at 48, I might have been slightly skeptical. It just shows that I’m still capable of playing well in these tournaments with all the good young players around me and obviously contending, because that’s what I’m doing this week.”
Bryson bombs it
DeChambeau. who was just four years old when Westwood made his debut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, put on a show for the 5,000 fans that were allowed into Bay Hill as he attacked the sixth hole, driving over the water for a 370-yard tee-shot which landed on the fairway but carried into the rough. The American went on to card birdie on the famous shoehorn par-five as he signed for a 4-under par-68 to sit one off the lead alongside Conners who carded a one-under 71.
370 yards. 💪😲
The longest drive on the 6th hole since 2003.#QuickHits pic.twitter.com/zkL2jlU8S3
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 6, 2021
Double Ace
Jordan Spieth continued his recent renaissance and remains in contention for a first title since 2017 after a 4-under-par 68 which included a stunning ace at the second hole that sparked wild celebrations for the limited spectators in attendance.
“I hit a 5-iron, it was 205 front, 220 hole, and the wind wasn’t blowing very hard, so I was trying to peel it left to right to hold the wind and land it a little right of the hole. I hit it a little thin but it was right on the line I wanted and knowing that the grass was wet, you get some skid, I thought in the air it was going to be pretty good. Certainly not as good as it was,” said the three-time Major champion.
Not just an ace …@JordanSpieth‘s hole-in-one Saturday @APinv was also the longest hole-out of his career. pic.twitter.com/2e9d4vfOgx
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 7, 2021
Thailand’s Jazz Janewattananond also hit a hole-in-one at the 14th hole which earned a donation worth 200,000 USD for the Arnold and Winnie Palmer Foundation from sponsor Mastercard.
Rose withdraws
Justin Rose had to withdraw from the tournament after four holes on Saturday due to back spasms. The Englishman, who began the third round just four shots back, went par-par to start his day before hitting three balls into the water en route to a quintuple-bogey 9 on the par-4 third hole. He then hit four shots on the fourth before informing his playing partner, Spieth, that he would be withdrawing.
Frustrated to have to WD from @APinv I woke up not feeling my best and hoped my lower back would ease up through my warm up and into my round. Unfortunately it went the other way.
Thx to @Mastercard for another great week at Bay Hill and carrying on Mr Palmers legacy. pic.twitter.com/cKW5n7Ya1m— Justin ROSE (@JustinRose99) March 6, 2021
