Aphibarnrat uses storm delay to gather his thoughts and secure maiden European win

The tournament had been reduced to 54 holes following thunderstorms on each of the first three days, and another arrived just after the final group had teed off on the 16th hole yesterday.

That meant a two-hour delay with Aphibarnrat one shot ahead of Italy’s Edoardo Molinari, who had completed his 67 just before the delay and was safely in the clubhouse.

But Aphibarnrat made light of the disruption, hitting his approach to the 16th to three feet for a birdie and then saving par on the next after almost finding water over the back of the green.

The 23-year-old former junior world champion therefore had the luxury of taking six on the 634-yard par-five 18th to complete a closing 70, sealing a one-shot win over Molinari and claiming the first prize of £303,000.

Denmark’s Anders Hansen (66) was third on 11 under, with France’s Victor Dubuisson (70) and South African Charl Schwartzel (71) joint fourth a shot further back.

“This means a lot to me,” Aphibarnrat said. “I had been struggling a lot after getting sick with my thyroid, but I fought and worked hard with my dad and my coach.

“I have to thank my family. My mum and dad have always supported me and I am sure they are in front of the TV watching.”

The leaders started the day on the third hole and Aphibarnrat pitched to three feet for a birdie before holing from 15ft for an eagle on the par-five fifth.

At that stage his nearest challenger was Ireland’s Padraig Harrington, who had eagled the same hole and also picked up three birdies, but the three-time major winner carded three bogeys in succession on the back nine to fade to sixth.

Bogeys at the seventh and 12th then saw Aphibarnrat joined at the top of the leaderboard by China’s Wu Ashun, but as Wu also faded – shanking a pitch on the 16th into the crowd – Aphibarnrat birdied the 14th to edge ahead of Molinari, who was by now in the clubhouse.

The thunderstorm which arrived soon after looked to have come at a bad time for Aphibarnrat, but he added: “I think it was good for me.

“I had time to rest and there were a lot of things going through my head.

“After I birdied the 16th I thought I had a good chance to win.

“The 18th hole I’ve played 10 times before, but (yesterday) it was the toughest hole I have ever played, even though I could make six to win.”

Molinari was left to rue a number of missed chances, despite having previously missed the cut in all five of his appearances this season.

Tiger Woods surged into the clubhouse lead on 205 going into the final day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational after finishing 11 under par in Orlando on Saturday.

He spent the afternoon chasing down Justin Rose’s two-shot lead on the front nine and, with the Englishman dropping three shots on the way back in, Woods’s round of 66 placed him two shots ahead of both the Englishman and the impressive Rickie Fowler.

The young Californian holed three birdies on the front nine and three on the back, dropping only one shot on the ninth to finish the day with an overall score of 207 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge.

New York’s John Huh matched Rose and Fowler on one under while Denmark’s Thorbjorn Olesen, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano of Spain and Americans Jimmy Walker and Ken Duke were all tied with Bill Haas for fifth on eight under par.