Arnold Palmer Invitational 2011: Martin Laird Outlasts Steve Marino For Win

Despite shooting 3-over in the final round on Sunday, Martin Laird came back late to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2011 with an 8-under final total. Starting the day 11-under, Laird made three bogeys in the front nine and then double-bogeyed the 11th hole to reach 6-under. He birdied the next hole, but then lost a stroke with a bogey on the 14th hole.

Not deterred by these hardships, Laird birdied the 15th and 16th holes to reach 8-under and then made par on the last two holes. As he made his way toward the end of the day, Laired also had to contend with Steve Marino, who was at 2-under for the day with four holes left to play. A bogey on the 15th hole and a double-bogey on the 17th hole put him at 1-over for the day and 6-under for the tournament. A birdie on the 18th hole temporarily gave Marino the lead at 7-under as he entered the clubhouse, but Laird came up with those pivotal birdies on 15 and 16.

The PGA Tour has announced tee times for Round 4 of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando. For the second consecutive day, Martin Laird and Spencer Levin will tee off together. Laird and Levin, who are in first and second place, respectively, are separated by two strokes on the leaderboard. They’ll tee off at 1:35 p.m. Eastern.

Noted golf enthusiast Tiger Woods will be paired with Pat Perez and tee off at 10:35 a.m. Phil Mickelson, meanwhile, will tee off at 12:05 p.m. alongside Hunter Mahan.

On Saturday in Orlando, Martin Laird managed to hold onto the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Tiger Woods, meanwhile, finds himself in familiar territory.

Laird, in search of his second career PGA Tour win, shot a respectable 2-under for the day. He struggled late with back-to-back bogeys on the 14th and 15th hole, but still holds a two-stroke lead over the rest of the field at 11-under for the tournament.

With Martin Laird atop the leaderboard of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the players are set to tee off Round 3 on Saturday morning. The PGA Tour’s website has released tee times for Round 3.

Laird will be partnered with Spencer Levin, who trails him by a stroke; they’ll tee off at 1:40 p.m. Eastern. The second-to-last pair will be comprised of Steve Marino and K.J. Choi, who caught fire with an 8-under Round 2 to vault up the leaderboard.

On Thursday, Round 2 of the Arnold Palmer Invitational concluded in Orlando. Scotland’s Martin Laird took the lead, while Tiger Woods managed to climb his way into a tie for 10th on the leaderboard.

Laird, who started the day on the back nine, shot to the top of the leaderboard after an eagle on the 16th hole. A bogey on the first hole was the only mistake he made during a round in which he shot 7-under. Laird, age 28, has one PGA Tour win on his resume.

After struggling in round 1 of the 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational, Tiger Woods has come out scoring in the second round at Bay Hill. After a bogey on the third hole, Woods put together a bogey-free run that included four birdies. He is now 2-under for the tournament and within striking distance of the top of the leaderboard.

Speaking of the top, Spencer Levin sits alone there at 7-under for the tournament. He built on his strong 6-under in round 1 with a 1-under in the second round. Close behind Levin is Steve Marino, followed by a host of players at 2 and 3-under par.

Rickie Fowler and Hunter Mahan turned in strong opening rounds at the 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill, leading the pack at 3-under. Both were able to eagle hole No. 16, making up for a trio of bogeys earlier in the day by each. Somebody may need to think about adjusting the par on hole No. 16.

Spencer Levin and Erik Compton have the best chances to overtake the day-one lead, sitting at 3-under with nine and four holes respectively to go, including that FRRREE MONEY hole No. 16.

The 2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational, held annually at the Bay Hill Club in Orlando, is set to get underway on Thursday as the last tune-up for the world’s best golfers prior to the Masters in two weeks. This year’s field includes plenty of big names, including Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Ernie Ells, Vijay Singh and Zach Johnson.

Woods is still looking for his first tournament win of the season, and with six career wins on the Bay Hill course, this tournament is as good an opportunity as any he’ll get it this year.