Arnold Palmer Invitational 2021: Bryson DeChambeau Edges Lee Westwood for Win
March 7, 2021
Following a tight race atop the leaderboard heading into Sunday, Bryson DeChambeau emerged as the victor of the 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Golf Course in Orlando, Florida, on Sunday.
The 27-year-old held off Lee Westwood to earn his first win of the year and eighth of his career.
DeChambeau and Westwood were neck-and-neck through the front nine, and by the time they approached the final four holes, it essentially became a match-play outing for the duo, who remained one stroke apart once DeChambeau broke the tie.
After a tough start to hole No. 16, Westwood had his best chance to take the lead, but both golfers parred to keep the standings in place with two holes to go.
On No. 18, Westwood got caught in a divot on his drive, all but ending his chance to catch DeChambeau.
Corey Conners, who entered the day in a two-way tie for second place, worked his way back into the hunt with an eagle on No. 16 but eventually finished in third.
Entering the final day of play, four golfers were within two strokes of each other atop the leaderboard. Westwood held the lead at 11 under, trailed by DeChambeau and Conners in a two-way tie for second at 10 under. Keegan Bradley and Jordan Spieth were in a tie for fourth place at nine under.
Final Leaderboard and Prize Payouts
Win: Bryson DeChambeau (-11): $1,674,000
2: Lee Westwood (-10): $1,013,700
3: Corey Conners (-8): $641,700
T4: Andrew Putnam, Richy Werenski, Jordan Spieth (-6): $391,375
7: Christiaan Bezuidenhout (-5): $313,875
T8: Chris Kirk, Jason Kokrak (-4): $281,325
Full leaderboard via PGATour.com.
Prize payouts via Golf Digest.
Westwood climbed to the top of the field from 11th place on Saturday, and had his lead held, he would have become the oldest international winner on the PGA Tour in more than four decades.
A day after DeChambeau hit the longest drive on the No. 6 hole since 2003 with a 370-yard bomb on Saturday, he had an even longer drive on Sunday at 377 yards, eventually putting for birdie and securing his share of the lead.
It wasn't just his drives that were the key to his success on Sunday—DeChambeau was also strong once he hit the green, even draining a par-saving 49-foot putt on No. 11 that helped him maintain his lead for a bit longer.
The draw at the top finally broke on No. 14 when Westwood recorded his third bogey of the day to fall one behind DeChambeau, who parred.
While Westwood and DeChambeau battled for the lead, Spieth used a string of pars on six straight holes to hold a tie for third place with Conners before a bogey on No. 15 sent him down to fifth.
Elsewhere, Kristoffer Ventura, who finished in a tie for 36th, notched the third ace of the weekend.
Next up is The Players Championship, which will be held at TPC Sawgrass next weekend.