Tiger looking for four in a row at Bay Hill
IN: News | US PGA | Bay Hill Invitational (2003) | Preview | by Bruce Young | 18 Mar 2003
The Bay Hill Invitational gets under way this Thursday near Orlando, Florida, with Tiger Woods looking for his third win in just four starts on the 2003 PGA Tour.
Woods will also be defending the title he won here in 2002 by four shots from Michael Campbell who recorded by far his best performance in the US here twelve months ago. Woods will also be seeking his fourth consecutive win in the event. If he is able to do so he will become only the third player to do so on the USPGA Tour, joining Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen, so you can understand how long it has been.
Woods clearly loves the course, as his success here did not start in professional events. He won the 1991 US Junior, the first of his six consecutive USGA Championships.
The course was originally designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee in 1961 but was purchased by Arnold Palmer and a business group in 1970 and changes were made. Palmer is still the primary owner of the Club and Lodge at Bay Hill and this tournament and its success is largely a result of the involvement of the great man.
The event was first staged in 1966 when Lionel Herbert won but it is the name of Tiger Woods that has joined that of Palmer as being synonymous with the event. Other players who have good records here are Phil Mickelson who won here in 1997 along with a second placing, Loren Roberts twice a winner in 1994 and 1995, Davis Love three times second and Tim Herron, who won here in 1999 and always seems to play well in Florida.
The field is a strong one with many of the leading players in the world warming up for the US Masters in Augusta, which is now just three weeks away. Mickelson will not play this week but many of the world's biggest names including Woods, Els, Singh, Garcia and Kelly and a host of international players will lineup.
The Australian lineup at this stage will include Robert Allenby, Stuart Appleby, Aaron Baddeley, Michael Campbell (2nd last year behind Tiger Woods), Stephen Leaney, Peter Lonard, Geoff Ogilvy, Rod Pampling, Craig Parry, Adam Scott and Phil Tataurangi. Steve Alker will anxiously await a start from the number two position on the alternate bench.
