About the Arnold Palmer Invitational:
Tiger Woods ended a 2 1/2-year winless streak on the PGA Tour, claiming a 5-stroke victory over Graeme McDowell. It was Woods' 72nd career PGA Tour win, and his seventh in this tournament. Woods hadn't won on the PGA Tour since the 2009 BMW Invitational.
2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Third-round leader Martin Laird gave the lead away early in the fourth round, then hit into water on the 11th. But he came back to win anyway by one stroke over Steve Marino. Laird's final-round 75 was the highest final round by a winner on the PGA Tour since Trevor Immelman at the 2008 Masters.
PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Records:
- Overall record: 264 - Payne Stewart, 1987
- Tournament course record - 62, Andy Bean, 1981; Greg Norman, 1984
PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Golf Courses:
See also: Photos of Arnold Palmer's first visit to Bay Hill in 1965
PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Trivia and Notes:
- The tournament was renamed the Arnold Palmer Invitational beginning with its 2007 playing. Palmer is only the second golfer to have a PGA Tour event named for him; Byron Nelson was the first.
- Arnold Palmer began visiting the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in 1965, and it became his winter home. Palmer became owner of the club in 1975, and in 1979 convinced the PGA Tour to move its Orlando event to Bay Hill.
- Palmer was 41 years old when he won this tournament in 1971. It was among his last half-dozen or so wins on the PGA Tour.
- The tournament was first played in 1966, and Lionel Hebert was the winner. Jack Nicklaus finished second that year. Nicklaus was also runnerup in 1982, when he lost a playoff to Tom Kite. Nicklaus never won this tournament.
- Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational four straight years, 2000-03. Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen are the only other golfers to win a PGA Tour event four straight years.
- Aside from Woods, the only other golfer to win this tournament back-to-back is Loren Roberts (1994-95).
- The other 2-time winners of the tourney are Jerry Heard (1972, 1974), Gary Koch (1977, 1984) and Ernie Els (1998, 2010).
- Tiger Woods also won in 2008-09 and 2012, for seven victories total in this tournament. Only Sam Snead has won the same tournament times (Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times).
PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Winners:
Arnold Palmer Invitational
2012 - Tiger Woods, 275
2011 - Martin Laird, 280
2010 - Ernie Els, 277
2009 - Tiger Woods, 275
2008 - Tiger Woods, 270
2007 - Vijay Singh, 272
Bay Hill Invitational
2006 - Rod Pampling, 274
2005 - Kenny Perry, 276
2004 - Chad Campbell, 270
2003 - Tiger Woods, 269
2002 - Tiger Woods, 275
2001 - Tiger Woods, 273
2000 - Tiger Woods, 270
1999 - Tim Herron-p, 274
1998 - Ernie Els, 274
1997 - Phil Mickelson, 272
1996 - Paul Goydos, 275
The Nestle Invitational
1995 - Loren Roberts, 272
1994 - Loren Roberts, 275
1993 - Ben Crenshaw, 280
1992 - Fred Couples, 269
1991 - Andrew Magee-w, 203
1990 - Robert Gamez, 274
1989 - Tom Kite-p, 278
Hertz Bay Hill Classic
1988 - Paul Azinger, 271
1987 - Payne Stewart, 264
1986 - Dan Forsman-w, 202
1985 - Fuzzy Zoeller, 275
Bay Hill Classic
1984 - Gary Koch-p, 272
1983 - Mike Nicolette-p, 283
1982 - Tom Kite-p, 278
1981 - Andy Bean, 266
1980 - Dave Eichelberger, 279
Bay Hill Citrus Classic
1979 - Bob Byman-p, 278
Florida Citrus Open Invitational
1978 - Mac McLendon, 271
1977 - Gary Koch, 274
1976 - Hale Irwin-p, 270
1975 - Lee Trevino, 276
1974 - Jerry Heard, 273
1973 - Bud Allin, 265
1972 - Jerry Heard, 276
1971 - Arnold Palmer, 270
1970 - Bob Lunn, 271
1969 - Ken Still, 278
1968 - Dan Sikes, 274
1967 - Julius Boros, 274
1966 - Lionel Hebert, 279

