The host venue for the prestigious Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill, is regarded as one of the best and most challenging courses on the PGA Tour. The Florida Swing event's course is typical of many in the area with its abundance of lakes and daunting bunkers.
Some of its individual holes embody that more than most, including the sixth with its enormous lake to the left and array of sand traps to the right, and the 18th, whose narrow fairway leads to a green flanked by an imposing pond.
Despite its difficulty, a few players have got to grips with the course better than any in its time as a PGA Tour event, with three sharing the men’s course record.
Two years after the event’s 1979 move to Bay Hill, Andy Bean put himself firmly in contention for his seventh PGA Tour win courtesy of a second round of 62. That followed a 68 on the opening day, and further rounds of 67 and 69 were more than enough to ensure victory, which came by a commanding seven shots over Tom Watson to bank him the $54,000 first prize.
After Bean set the standard early in Bay Hill’s time as a PGA Tour venue, it wasn’t long until a player who would become one of the game’s greats matched his record. In the 1984 edition, Australian Greg Norman was awaiting his first PGA Tour win, but he put himself in prime position at the Bay Hill Classic with a second round of 62, which included seven birdies and an eagle.
At that point, Norman, who had lost in a playoff the year before, surely would have backed himself to win the tournament, but an erratic third round of 71 that included four birdies, no bogeys but two double bogeys saw him one off the lead heading into the final day. Greg Koch, who came close to matching the record with a 63 in the final round, went on to take the title after a playoff with George Burns.
Norman finished runner-up for the second time in the 1990 tournament, but he never won at Bay Hill, despite his record-equalling efforts of 1984.
While the first pair of 62s came relatively close together, it was 30 years until another male player matched the record, and it was a compatriot of Norman’s who achieved it.
In 2014, Adam Scott was close to the peak of his powers, and with Tiger Woods, who was top of the world rankings, absent with back spasms, it didn't take long until Scott, who was ranked second, began to live up to his billing.
Scott began his challenge in style in an opening round featuring two eagles and a chip-in for birdie at the 15th to match the men's course record - and his own career-low of 62. While he couldn’t repeat that feat over the next two rounds, he still led by three with one round to play, and admitted he was “hungry” to win the title.
It didn’t work out, and Scott endured a round that could barely have contrasted more with his opener, closing with a four-over 76 to finish third.
Like Norman, Scott has yet to win the title, but the consolation of being one of just three players to match the men's course record at Bay Hill remains intact.
