DeChambeau Wins Arnie’s Event Inspired By Text From Tiger

Bryson DeChambeau has captured a maiden Arnold Palmer Invitational title and an eighth PGA Tour success revealing he was inspired in receiving a text message before tee-off from Tiger Woods.

DeChambeau, 27, holed a testing four-footer for par at the final hole in a round of 71 to win by a shot at 11-under par from England’s Lee Westwood.

The reigning European No. 1 ranked Westwood could stand enormously tall in handling everything DeChambeau threw at the 47-year old over the closing 18 holes.

Westwood had gone into the last day leading by one shot at 11-under par and produced a one-over par 73 in bright but cool and windy conditions at Bay Hill to fall one shot shy of forcing a play-off and attempt to win for only a third occasion on the PGA Tour.

Bryson DeChambeau wins Arnie’s event and revealing he was inspired in receiving a text message from Tiger Woods ahead of the final round

There was the horror sight down the last when Westwood’s laser-like drive ended in a fairway divot, and one of the cruelest ‘penalties’ in golf, but Westwood didn’t bat an eyelid in finding the green from some 169-yards out.  He then calmly two-putted to put pressure on his 20-year younger opponent but with DeChambeau up for the challenge.

But there was no denying DeChambeau now capturing Jack’s event and now adding Arnie’s event to his growing victory CV.

And as he headed to the scorer’s hut, DeChambeau was stopped by Steve Sands from the Golf Channel and starting to become emotional in revealing Woods, and recuperating from his horror car-crash late last month in LA, had sent him a good luck text message.

“I don’t know what to say to win at Mr. Palmer’s event and it’s going to make me cry,” said DeChambeau.

“It means the world to me to win here at Bay Hill.

“I got a text from Tiger this morning and he has obviously done really well here, and was very instrumental in my life as Mr. Palmer was to Tiger.  We just talked about keep biting no matter what happens, and play boldly like Mr. Palmer said.

“And my heart has been heavy with what has been going on with Tiger, so I just kept telling myself that it’s not how many times you get kicked down.  It’s how many times you get picked back up and keep on going.

“That’s what I surely did out there today.  And it thank to Chris Como and a whole of other guys who are behind me, who have been instrumental.

“Also, you know one of the things that stuck in my mind was Tiger and how he kept fighting. A lot of the conditions were similar to the U.S. Open and that helped me. That helped me feel comfortable out there and I knew there was going to be tough conditions out there.”



Comments are closed.