Golf: Martin Laird insists he never even contemplated failing to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The Scot started the final day two shots clear but appeared to have squandered his chance when he found the water en route to a double bogey at the 11th.

But three birdies from then on and a brave two-putt at the last saw him hold off Steve Marino by one stroke to win at eight under, adding to fellow Scot Paul Lawrie's triumph in Spain and jumping to a career-high 21st in the world rankings.

"I don't know if I was nervous," Laird said. "I thought in the morning that I've let a few tournaments go and I came out today, I wasn't joking around - this was going to be my tournament to win, and I felt comfortable.

"I never thought about not winning. At three down I didn't have a choice, I had to make birdies - Steve was playing so well and he wasn't going to drop all the way back to where I was. That was the focus - not a place finish, I was out there trying to get this trophy."

Birdies at six, nine and 10 had taken Marino ahead as Laird faltered. The Scot did well to save pars at the first two holes but went through the green at the next and dropped a shot.

A 15-foot putt from the fringe saved par at the fifth but he three-putted the par-three seventh and a bogey at nine followed before the problems at 11.

Marino led by three at nine under at that stage, but he struggled badly through the tough closing holes as Bay Hill showed its teeth.

Laird had recovered from the 11th with a birdie at 12 - with his eagle putt only just diving past the hole. He bogeyed 14 after missing a short putt but birdied the next after holing from 20 feet.

He went through the 16th green into a bunker and left his pitch out well short, but another good birdie putt took him two clear amid Marino's travails at 17.

A good up and down saved par at the same hole but he left himself a huge two putts at 18 after his tee-shot found an awful lie. His 87-foot attempt finished within four feet, though, and he calmly finished the job to record his second PGA Tour win, adding to the 2009 Justin Timberlake Shriners Hospitals for Children Open.

Australian Marc Leishman finished six under alongside England's Justin Rose, who produced a stunning back nine by birdying 10 before holing a wonderful 25-foot eagle putt at the 12th. David Toms shared third with them.

Elsewhere, Sergio Garcia signed for an up-and-down 70, highlighted by an eagle at 16, to finish four under but Tiger Woods finished his participation on a disappointing note.

The world number five was solid for much of his final round as he birdied the par-five fourth and gained further shots at the 10th and 16th.

Collated final round scores and totals (USA unless stated, par 72):

280

Martin Laird (Sco) 70 65 70 75

281

Steve Marino 71 67 71 72

282

Justin Rose (Eng) 72 72 70 68, Marc Leishman (Aus) 73 72 66 71, David Toms 74 67 69 72

283

Spencer Levin 66 70 71 76, K J Choi (Kor) 72 64 76 71

284

Sergio Garcia (Spa) 73 68 73 70

285

Jim Furyk 74 69 71 71, Fredrik Jacobson (Swe) 71 71 73 70, Mark Wilson 74 72 70 69

286

Brian Davis (Eng) 70 72 71 73, Rodney Pampling (Aus) 73 72 70 71, Kyle Stanley 74 73 66 73, Stewart Cink 76 71 68 71, Heath Slocum 75 70 68 73, Aaron Baddeley (Aus) 76 69 72 69, J J Henry 75 70 69 72, Trevor Immelman (Rsa) 72 71 68 75, Ian Poulter (Eng) 71 71 73 71, Ryan Moore 74 67 71 74, Edoardo Molinari (Ita) 72 75 72 67, D.J. Trahan 72 71 72 71

287

Charlie Wi (Kor) 73 74 66 74, Phil Mickelson 70 75 69 73, Tiger Woods 73 68 74 72, John Senden (Aus) 71 72 68 76, Brian Gay 75 68 71 73, Bubba Watson 70 71 68 78

288

Sam Saunders 74 73 69 72, Nick O'Hern (Aus) 73 70 72 73, Kevin Na 74 73 72 69, Bo Van Pelt 74 70 72 72, Dicky Pride 77 66 71 74, Tom Gillis 73 70 73 72, Johnson Wagner 74 72 73 69, Rickie Fowler 69 71 70 78

289

Brendon De Jonge 71 71 70 77, Pat Perez 74 74 68 73, William McGirt 73 68 75 73, Charles Howell III 73 65 73 78, Brendan Steele 76 70 71 72, Hunter Mahan 69 69 75 76, Robert Allenby (Aus) 79 69 71 70, Scott Verplank 76 69 72 72, Troy Matteson 72 73 70 74

290

J.B. Holmes 73 69 72 76, Daniel Chopra (Swe) 70 72 75 73, Zach Johnson 76 70 70 74, Charl Schwartzel (Rsa) 76 72 70 72, Lee Janzen 70 73 75 72, Henrik Stenson (Swe) 73 71 71 75, Kevin Streelman 75 73 72 70

291

Chad Campbell 72 75 72 72, Vaughn Taylor 70 68 76 77

292

D.A. Points 73 71 72 76, Robert Garrigus 71 75 73 73, Bill Lunde 73 70 76 73, Erik Compton 75 67 80 70

293

Chris Couch 70 71 71 81, Carl Pettersson (Swe) 75 73 75 70

294

Billy Hurley III 71 75 72 76, Arjun Atwal (Ind) 72 72 72 78, Robert Damron 73 72 73 76, Hunter Haas 70 73 73 78

295

Jason Dufner 70 70 78 77, Rocco Mediate 70 72 75 78, Stephen Ames (Can) 75 69 76 75

296

Colt Knost 75 73 72 76

298

Ernie Els (Rsa) 75 72 73 78, Skip Kendall 75 73 75 75

300

Roland Thatcher 74 74 78 74

308

Paul Goydos 78 69 76 85