Chad Campbell is Bay
Hill Champion
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Arnold Palmer presenting winner's trophy
to Chad Campbell. Photo - Getty images
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In an interview after the third round, Arnold Palmer
warned us not to write off Chad Campbell despite the fact that he was four shots behind
Stuart Appleby going into the final day. And this advice, based on having played the first
two rounds of the tournament partnered with Campbell, turned out to be very sound indeed.
While Campbell managed to get within range to putt for birdie on every hole, things
started to fall apart for Appleby just before the turn. |
| In the last 12 holes Campbell went from a four shot
deficit to a six shot win, carding a final round 66 for an 18-under-par total of 270.
Appleby was lucky to hold on to the sole runner-up spot. After bogeying the 17th, his tee
shot on the eighteenth found the bushes and after dropping out, caught the overhanging
branches of a tree just enough to cause his ball to drop short into the water. Dropping
his ball again, this time closer to the water's edge, he played a clean shot to within a
few feet and holed out for double bogey. |
Stuart Appleby. Photo - Getty Images
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Scott Verplank. Photo - Getty Images
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One more shot dropped would have meant Appleby sharing
second place with fellow Australian, Adam Scott and Scott Verplank who tied for third with
11-under totals of 277. Verplank birdied three of the last four holes in his 4-under-par
round of 68, while Scott finished with a final round 71 after wiping out 3 of his 4
birdies with 3 bogeys on the front nine. |
| John Daly had every chance of taking third place (and a
certain place at The Masters) but managed to drop four shots on the last four holes in his
typically unorthodox manner, finishing with double-bogey, eagle, bogey and finally a
triple-bogey on the 18th. In order to earn his place in The Masters he must now do well
enough next week to stay in the PGA Money List top-10 (currently #9) or move from 53rd
into the top-50 of the World Golf Rankings. |
Adam Scott. Photo - Getty Images
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| Tiger Woods' bid to win at Bay Hill for a fifth
consecutive year looked like it was getting off to a good start with a first round 67 but
with 3 rounds over par he finished tied for 46th with an even par total of 288 for the
week. |
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