Ames 10th in Bay Hill golf

ORLANDO: Trinidadi-an golfer Stephen Ames finished 10th as world number one Tiger Woods copped a fourth consecutive Bay Hill Invitational title on Sunday with a commanding performance.

Woods battled severe food poisoning and still managed a compelling final round 68 for an unchallenged 11-stroke win at 19 under 269 and the winning prize of US$810,000, as Ames slipped to a five-under 283 total with a 74 on the last day at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge Course.

The 38-year-old Ames who shot a superb third round 66 on Saturday to start the final day joint fourth, was achieving his second top-10 finish of the 2003 US PGA Tour and collected US$93,375 for his effort. He was eighth at last month’s Bob Hope Chrysler Classic in La Quinta, California. Sickened by some bad pasta that made him vomit through Saturday night and a rainy Sunday, Woods underlined his class and became the first player since Gene Sarazen in the Miami Open (1926-30) to win the same event four times in a row. Walter Hagen, who won the PGA Championship from 1924-1927, also shares  record.

Brad Faxon, who began the final day only five shots behind Woods, missed a six-foot par putt on the 18th hole for a 74 that dropped him into a four-way tie for second with Kirk Triplett (70), Kenny Perry (71) and Stewart Cink (72) at eight-under 280. Aaron Baddeley finished sixth at seven under 281. Ames ended 10th in an eight-man group that also included Ty Tyron, Jeff Brehaut and Billy Andrade, repeating his 10th place finish at the 1998 Bay Hill Invitational.