2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009 and 2012.
No this isn’t a list of the years that Tiger played in the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge; it’s a list of the years he won it (and he didn’t even play in 2010).
Tiger has won on virtually every course the PGA Tour has put in front of him but what’s made Bay Hill so special is in the fashion that he’s won tournaments on this track. And though it easily could be described in words, I find it more entertaining to watch it with my own eyes.
2012
Maybe not the most punctual win we’ve ever seen Tiger produce but it certainly was one of the most important. After not winning for 923 calendar days, Tiger tapped in for par on the 18th hole to mark a 5-shot win over Graeme McDowell, and coming from a guy who expects to win every tournament he plays in, the look of relief we saw on Woods’ face after he finally got over the hump was very “un-Tiger” like.
2009
This one was punctual. Classic Tiger. Going into the last hole tied with Sean O’Hair, Tiger notched this clutch birdie to mark his 6th career win at Bay Hill.
2008
This video’s a bit longer but you can fast forward to the 1:30 mark to see the putt. This quite possibly may be the most intense we’ve ever seen Tiger after a win.
Similar to what would happen a year later in 2009, Tiger needed to make this putt to send home Bart Bryant, who was waiting in the clubhouse hoping for a playoff. I’m still not 100 percent sure that hat didn’t rip when it hit the ground.
2001
While this video provides a good history of Bay Hill and its past champions, fast forward to around the 1:35 mark to see Tiger’s putt to win in 2001.
After a charge from Phil Mickelson on the front nine, Tiger and Lefty went back and forth on the back which ended with yet another exclamation point by Tiger.