This victory came with so many spoils, none of which Tiger Woods cared about at the moment.He seemed oblivious to his PGA Tour winning streak that now stands at five, the third time he has put together so many consecutive wins. He wasn’t concerned about capturing the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the fifth time, earning him another spot in the record books. Nor was he thinking about career victory No. 64, tying him with Ben Hogan at No. 3 on the all-time list.Woods simply was trying to figure out why his hat was in the hands of caddie Steve Williams.His one-shot victory Sunday was so intense that Woods went blank after holing a 25-foot birdie putt that caused pandemonium around the 18th hole at Bay Hill, and heartache for Bart Bryant, the unlikely challenger who gave Woods his stiffest test in seven months.“When Stevie handed me my hat, I was like, ‘How in the hell did he get my hat?”’ Woods said. “Evidently, it came off. I don’t know how it came off, but it came off. I need to see the highlights.”Where to start? He was seven shots behind going into the weekend until making birdie on the three toughest holes at Bay Hill to forge a tie. And he pulled off the clutch shots — and putt — with the tournament on the line.The only surprise was the celebration. He was tied with Bryant coming to the 18th hole when he produced what Woods called his best swing of the week, a 5-iron from 164 yards into a stiff breeze over the water to a skinny green with bunkers behind it. Then came a 25-foot putt that he was trying to make, without hitting it so hard that it left him a tough putt in case he missed.As it crept toward the cup, Woods backpedaled — nothing new there — and when it tumbled in for a final birdie, he turned and removed his cap, spiking it to the ground and letting out a roar that was drowned out by thousands of sun-baked fans who were swept up in the moment, even if they had seen it before.“I was so into the moment of the putt going in and winning the golf tournament,” Woods said. “I kept telling myself, ‘I’ve done this before. I did it against Phil. And this time, it’s a little bit deeper into the green, and the putt has a little bit more break, and it has a little more grain. I’ve done it before and I can do it again.”’That would be Phil Mickelson in 2001, the last time Woods made a birdie on the 72nd hole for a one-shot victory.This time, the opponent was Bryant, a 45-year-old who showed more moxie that guys with a far greater pedigree. Bryant made two birdies, two clutch saves, shot 67 and became the only player tobreak par all four rounds at Bay Hill. And it still wasn’t enough.He sat in the scoring trailer, which didn’t have a television, and told the official he would just listen to the crowd for the result. “I heard a big cheer, and I got up and left,” Bryant said. “That’s why he’s Tiger Woods.” All-time winners on PGA tour1. Sam Snead (USA) 82 2. Jack Nicklaus (USA) 733. Ben Hogan (USA), Tiger Woods (USA) 645. Arnold Palmer (USA) 626. Byron Nelson (USA) 52
