Marc Leishman claims one-shot win at Arnold Palmer Invitational
Last Updated: 19/03/17 11:25pm
Marc Leishman snatched a second PGA Tour title on Sunday with a dramatic one-shot victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Final leaderboard
Leishman carded a three-under 69 at Bay Hill in Florida to finish one clear of overnight leaders Kevin Kisner and Charley Hoffman, with Rory McIlroy a further stroke back after closing his 69 with a three-putt bogey at the last.
The overnight pacesetters traded pars over the opening three holes, before Hoffman posted a close-range gain at the fourth to match Kisner's 15-footer at the same hole.
Hoffman slipped down the leaderboard with four bogeys over his next five holes, as Kisner briefly moved four clear with a birdie-two at the seventh but then bogeyed the next.
Back-to-back gains around the turn were followed by another at the par-five 12th to lift McIlroy within two, only for the Irishman to chip into a bunker and drop a shot at the 14th.
Kisner lost ground with a bogey-six at the 12th, where Hoffman nudged from four feet and also birdied the next to close the gap to one stroke.
McIlroy's birdie attempt from 10 feet at the 15th clipped the edge of the cup, before he hooked his approach from behind a tree at the next to the back of the green and then almost holed out for eagle.
A tap-in gain took McIlroy to 10-under, which saw him temporarily go into a three-way tie for the lead when Kisner missed a 10-footer to save par at the 16th.
Leishman leapfrogged the trio and grabbed the outright lead by draining a 50-foot eagle putt at the same hole, as McIlroy saw his hopes ended by a three-putt bogey at the last.
As Leishman completed his final two holes in regulation to set the clubhouse target, Hoffman failed to get up-and-down at the 17th and Kisner couldn't find the final-hole birdie required to force a play-off.
Hoffman converted from 12 feet at the last to match Kisner's one-over 73, while McIlroy was joined on nine under by Tyrrell Hatton after the Englishman birdied two of his final three holes.
