Golf Roundup: Woods nears return to no.1 ranking

ORLANDO, Florida (AP) — Tiger Woods is going to have to wait one more day to try to reclaim the top spot in the world ranking.

Moments after Woods made a 10-foot birdie putt on the second hole, a thunderstorm packing gusts interrupted the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and wiped out play until Monday.

Small ponds formed on the in the fairways at Bay Hill — there was even a fish in the middle of the 18th fairway. The wind toppled the TV tower behind the 10th green, which was a pile of metal poles, wood, mesh netting and had a stationary camera in the middle of it all.

About an hour after a tornado warning expired, officials said they would need time to clean up the course and let it drain. The final round was to resume at 10 a.m. Monday.

Woods is going after his eighth win at Bay Hill, which would return him to No. 1 in the world ranking for the first time since the last week of October in 2010. He hit all of six shots on Sunday, enough to build a three-shot lead over Rickie Fowler, Keegan Bradley, John Huh and Ken Duke.

There was plenty of action on a short day, none more bizarre than Sergio Garcia.

The Spaniard's tee shot on the 10th hole somehow came to rest about 15 feet up in an oak tree, sitting between two large branches. Garcia used a cart to jump into the tree, and after a few minutes, hit a one-handed, back-handed shot back to the fairway, before jumping some 8 feet back to the ground.

Garcia later withdrew, saying in a statement on his website that his left shoulder and Achilles tendon were hurt and he did not want to risk doing more damage by finishing six holes Monday.

KIA CLASSIC

CARLSBAD, California (AP) — Beatriz Recari made an 18-foot birdie putt from the fringe on the second hole of a playoff with I.K. Kim to win the Kia Classic.

After Recari and Kim three-putted No. 18 both in regulation and on the first playoff hole, Recari ended it for her first victory since her rookie season of 2010. The 25-year-old Spaniard raised both arms in the air and later wiped away tears.

Recari, who brought a two-stroke lead into the day, had a chance to win in regulation. But, like Kim in the twosome ahead of her, she three-putted the par-4 18th. Recari closed with a 2-over 74 to match Kim at 9 under at Aviara. Kim shot a 71.

MISSISSIPPI GULF RESORT CLASSIC

SAUCIER, Mississippi (AP) — Michael Allen rallied to win the Mississippi Gulf Resort Classic on Sunday for his fourth Champions Tour title, shooting a 5-under 67 for a one-stroke victory over Bernhard Langer.

The 54-year-old Allen started the day two shots behind the leaders, but made five birdies on the front nine to vault into the lead, navigating windy conditions at Fallen Oak.

Allen missed a short putt for par on 18 and had to settle for a bogey, briefly falling into a tie with Langer at 11 under. But Langer made a bogey minutes later on 16, and couldn't make up the stroke on the final two holes. Langer had a 70.

MALAYSIAN OPEN

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Thailand's Kiradech Aphibarnrat won the rain-shortened Malaysian Open, shooting a 2-under 70 in the third round for a one-stroke victory over Italy's Eduardo Molinari.

Kiradech finished at 11-under 205 at Kuala Lumpur Golf and Country Club in a tournament which was reduced to 54 holes. Molinari had a 67.

The tournament was sanctioned by the European and Asian tours.