The PGA Tour’s Florida swing continues in Orlando this week, as the Tour’s best gathered to pay tribute to Arnold Palmer’s legacy at Bay Hill.
Rickie Fowler, Brooks Koepka, Rory McIlory, Phil Mickelson and Justin Rose are just a handful of the top players in the field, but perhaps the biggest story of the week is who isn’t playing — that would be Tiger Woods, who announced on Monday that he had to withdraw from the tournament because of a neck strain.
Here’s everything you missed from the first-round action in Orlando.
Rafa Cabrera Bello shot seven-under 65 in his opening round at Bay Hill. The Spaniard started on the tenth hole, and made four birdies in his first six holes. “Getting off to a hot start was nice. It set the tone,” Cabrera Bello said after his round.
The good momentum continued into his second nine, where he added four more birdies (including three in a row on Nos. 4-6) and a lone bogey.
???????? and only one bogey.@RCabreraBello wasted no time today.#LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/9pPoynitMv
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 7, 2019
Add it together and he holds a two-shot lead over Keegan Bradley with 54 holes to play. Though Cabrera Bello has five international wins to his name, he’s still seeking his first PGA Tour title.
Mercurial Phil had a good opening round at Bay Hill, carding seven birdies, a bogey and a double bogey en route to a round of four-under-par 68.
Going out in style.
Phil being Phil. #LiveUnderPar pic.twitter.com/SYXUANvLII
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 7, 2019
Lefty is currently tied for third with four other players: Billy Horschel, Bubba Watson, Patrick Rodgers and Graeme McDowell.
Phil’s extensive win resume does include a victory at Bay Hill, but it was back in 1997.
D.A. Points made a hole-in-one on the 203-yard par-3 seventh hole, but you certainly wouldn’t know it by his reaction.
Right. At. It. ?@DAPoints wasn’t expecting this one to drop.#MustSeeMoments: https://t.co/sX50na8uq7 pic.twitter.com/ZRdT0sw4Kt
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 8, 2019
To his credit, Points acknowledged his muted celebration with a follow-up tweet.
For the record I miss hit my 6 iron off the toe. I was begging for it to get over the bunker. It did and rolled in. Completely lucky and I am grateful for it! Haven’t had much luck recently, sign of good things to come. Sorry if my celebration wasn’t boisterous enough for everyon
— D.A. Points (@DAPoints) March 8, 2019
Points shot even par in Round 1 and is currently T49.
Tournament headliners Justin Rose, Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koepka and Rickie Fowler had less-than-ideal opening rounds.
Defending champ McIlroy made four birdies and just as many bogeys to finish at even par (T49), while Justin Rose fared a bit better at one under on the day (T33).
Fowler and Koepka struggled to rounds of two-over-par 74 and are T72.
