Matt Every won the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the second straight year, sinking a 17-foot birdie putt on the final hole to beat Henrik Stenson of Sweden by one stroke at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Fla.
The 31-year-old Every, who lives about two hours up Interstate 4 in Jacksonville Beach and played at the University of Florida, closed with a 6-under-par 66 to come from three strokes behind Stenson in the final round.
“That putt on No. 18 was straight downhill, just what you want under pressure,” said Every, whose only other pro victory came in the 2009 Nationwide (now Web.com) Tour Championship.
“I was driving it so good, my irons were spot-on and I made some putts down the stretch. I kinda had a feeling. It was nice. I had a lot of family and friends out there. The support was awesome, but you can’t be emotional when you’re playing.”
Stenson, seeking his fifth PGA Tour victory, took a two-stroke lead into the final round and still was ahead until he missed a five-foot par putt on the 15th hole and three-putted from 38 feet off the fringe for a par on the par-5 16th hole.
The Swede missed a 21-foot birdie putt on the final hole that would have forced a playoff.
Matt Jones of Australia finished two shots back in third after a 68, followed two shots further back by Morgan Hoffman, the leader after each of the first two rounds, who closed with a 71, while Ben Martin was another stroke behind in fifth, also after a 71.
Kevin Na of Diamond Bar closed with a 69 and tied for sixth with Jason Kokrak, who had a 72, and Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand, who came in at 69.
Zach Johnson holed his second shot from 207 yards for a double eagle on the 16th hole and posted the low round of the day, a 66, to tie for ninth with Louis Oosthuizen of South Africa, who totaled 69.
Daniel Berger made the first double eagle in tournament history a day earlier.
Top-ranked Rory McIlroy closed with a 70 and tied for 11th.
