OPINION: Top 10 Best Moments at Bay Hill

Number 10

Don Pooley hit a hole-in-one on the par 3 17th to earn himself $1 million at the 1987 Bay Hill Invitational. He would take home more than the victor, Payne Stewart, who donated his winnings of $108,000 to a local hospital in Florida.

Pooley split his earnings, keeping half and giving the other half to what is now known as the Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Orlando, Florida.

Don Pooley hole in one at the 1987 Bay Hill Classic

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Number 9

The 1982 Invitational was concluded by a three-man playoff which featured Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Tom Kite. Shockingly, at the beginning of the day, Kite was six strokes off the lead and would surge an impressive comeback to force the playoff.

The playoff ended in a winning chip shot from Tom Kite for birdie just off the green to earn himself the 1982 title.

On this day, In 1982 Tom Kite chips in to win the Bay Hill Classic in a playoff

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Number 8

In 1984, Gary Koch was six strokes off of George Burns’ lead heading into the final round. Koch would go on to shoot a Bay Hill final round record 63 to force a playoff and beat Burns. Gary Koch is the only golfer to win the Invitational at both Bay Hill and Rio Pinar (1977).

Previously, before Arnold Palmer moved the tournament to Bay Hill, the event was called the Florida Citrus Open and was held just a couple miles away at Rio Pinar.

Number 7

In 2001, Tiger Woods became the only player since Loren Roberts to win back-to-back tournament’s at Bay Hill, but it would not stop there as Tiger would also win in 2002 and 2003, solidifying a four-peat at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In order to win, Tiger would have to birdie the final hole to beat Phil Mickelson, who made an impressive par save on 18 to post a final round 66.

A poor tee shot left Tiger just a few feet away from the cart path in an uncomfortable lay surrounded by lurking fans. This meant nothing to Tiger. He stuck a wedge shot about 20 feet left of the hole and sunk the birdie putt to knock off Mickelson.

Tiger Woods 2001 Arnold Palmer Invitational

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Number 6

In his last showing at Bay Hill, at his own invitational, Arnold Palmer drew all eyes toward him as he took a driver off the deck on the 18th fairway landing the ball just left of the flagstick and rolling it to within birdie distance.

Palmer’s famous shot is the first to be displayed in the video below.

Top-10 all-time shots from the Arnold Palmer Invitational

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Number 5

Zach Johnson and Daniel Berger each made a double eagle (albatross) at the 2015 Invitational. It had been 35 years since the Florida event had seen a double eagle, and the patrons in 2015 were lucky enough to see two in the same tournament for the first time at Bay Hill.

According to sbnation.com, since 1970, The PGA Tour has only seen 121 double eagles. The odds of making an albatross, which can only be done on the first shot of a par four or the second shot of a par five, are about 6 million to 1, while making an ace on a par three is only 13,000 to 1.

Daniel Berger and Zach Johnson Double Eagle at Arnold Palmer Invitational

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Number 4

In 2008, the championship winner was decided on the 72nd and final hole at Bay Hill. 271 minutes before Tiger Woods approached his downhill 25-foot put for birdie and the win, Bart Bryant would post a final round 67. Tiger drained the intimidating putt to beat Bryant by one stroke and claim the 2008 title.

With this win, Tiger accomplished a feat that very few players have done before: remaining unbeaten and winning five straight starts to begin the season. This was also Tiger’s fifth time claiming first place at Bay Hill which tied him with Ben Hogan for 64 career wins on the PGA Tour.

Tiger Woods 2008 Arnold Palmer Invitational winning putt

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Number 3

Rory Mcilroy is no stranger to the famous Bay Hill golf course and, in 2018, he completed one of the most impressive wins of his career. Henrik Stenson, who had finished in the top-five in three of the past four tournaments at Bay Hill held a two stroke lead after the third round of play.

Mcilroy would burst back and birdie five of his last six holes which was highlighted by his electric chip-in on the 15th. His unstoppable run and golf magic would land him a first place finish and a final round 64 to claim a win on the PGA Tour for the 14th time.

Rory McIlroy’s highlights | Round 4 | Arnold Palmer

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Number 2

In 2003, Tiger Woods capped off a four-peat at the Arnold Palmer Invitational winning four consecutive years from 2000 to 2003. While many remember his dominating 11 stroke win, most remember Tiger fighting through a stomach bug during his final round of play. Tiger was visibly uncomfortable and obviously ill, but that would not stop him from claiming a title at Bay Hill for the fourth year in a row.

Tiger’s 11 stroke win was the largest win margin since Fred Couples beat the 1992 runner-up by nine strokes.

Tiger would go on to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational four more times in 2008-2009 and 2012-2013. Of his record-tying 82 wins on the PGA Tour, roughly 10% of them have come from his victories at Bay Hill.

Tiger Woods wins 2003 Bay Hill Invitational | Chasing 82

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Number 1

In 1990, Robert Gamez was down by one stroke to Larry Mize and Greg Norman and needed to birdie the par 4 final hole at the Nestle Invitational at Bay Hill to force a playoff.

Instead, Gamez did the impossible. He whipped out his 7-iron and buried the golf ball in the hole to eagle the 18th and walk off the tournament.

Signature Shots: Robert Gamez — March 25, 1990

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Cover Image via Instagram