07 March 2022: Scottie Scheffler played the kind of golf that wins a traditional U.S. Open, and that’s what the Arnold Palmer Invitational felt like Sunday at Bay Hill. Anirban Lahiri fought valiantly under rough conditions, but the 82 on his card will sting the conscientious Indian golfer.
Anirban Lahiri hit 6 of 18 greens in regulation during his final round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, finishing at 16 over for the tournament. Lahiri finished his day tied for 74th at 16 over.
After hitting his tee shot into the water, Lahiri hit his next to the right side of the fairway. He hit his sixth shot to the green and had a one-putt for a double bogey on the par-5 fourth. This moved Lahiri to 4 over for the round.
On the 555-yard par-5 sixth, Lahiri had a birdie after hitting the green in 2 and two putting. This moved Lahiri to 3 over for the round.
After a 259 yard drive on the 460-yard par-4 eighth, Lahiri chipped his third shot to 9 feet, which he rolled for two-putt bogey on the hole. This moved Lahiri to 4 over for the round.
On the 480-yard par-4 ninth, Lahiri had a bogey after hitting the green in 3 and two putting, moving Lahiri to 5 over for the round.
Scheffler now has two PGA Tour titles in the last month, having picked up his first victory at the Phoenix Open. That one was loud. This one was stressful for everyone with a chance.
“I mean, I’m glad it looks pretty even keel from the outside,” Scheffler said. “I think I’m pretty fiery on the inside. I just — when you get on such difficult golf courses like this, you just have to kind of keep your head down and know that mistakes are going to come, you’re going to get bad breaks, you’re going to hit really good shots that turn out really bad. And it’s just stuff that can happen out here, just because the golf course is so difficult.
“Today and really all this week I did a good job of kind of fighting back, really just kind of battling the golf course the whole time.”
“It feels great to be able to win here,” said Scheffler, who recognizes the legacy and importance of winning Arnold Palmer’s tournament. He earned $2.16 million and 550 FedExCup points. “To be completely honest with you, right now I’m exhausted. This course is a total beatdown trying to play. I’m very pleased I didn’t have to play any extra holes today.”
The scoring average was 75.48, by a fraction lower than it was a year ago. Only 10 players finished the tournament under par.
Billy Horschel was the last player with a shot at catching Scheffler with a 30-foot birdie putt on the last hole that never really had a chance. Horschel shot 75 and tied for second along with Tyrrell Hatton (69) and Viktor Hovland (74).
Hovland was still tied for the lead until catching a plugged lie in the front bunker on the 17th and having to two-putt from 50 feet on the fringe for bogey. Needing a birdie on the last hole to catch Scheffler, with whom he was paired, the Norwegian missed from 18 feet.
Associated Press Report
