Levin’s bogey-free performance in gusty winds at the Bay Hill course gave him the edge over compatriots Rickie Fowler and Hunter Mahan, who both shot 69.

Tiger Woods, a six-times winner at this event, had four bogeys in a round of 73, failing to hit the fairway once in his opening nine holes.

Woods, who has not won since the Australian Masters in 2009, is looking to hit form ahead of next month’s US Masters at Augusta.

Phil Mickelson and Britain’s Brian Davis and Martin Laird were among a group of 11 players four shots off the pace after shooting rounds of 70.

Levin, who has four top 15 finishes in his last five starts on tour, coped well with a wind that caused plenty of problems for others.

The windy conditions made for some unusually high scoring as only 21 players broke par while 13 were unable to break 80.

“The course is hard anyway and then you throw in a 20-30 miles-per-hour wind and it makes it even more tough,” he said.

“I was just hoping for anything around par which would have been a good score but it was a good round, I played solid all day and my putting was really good.” 

Levin also benefited from some smart short play, chipping in for a birdie on the second and making a 12 footer from the fringe on the sixth.

Those looking for a rising young face to make an impact at Augusta will have been heartened by the performance of the 22-year-old Fowler.

Playing the back nine first, he eagled the par-five 16th before missing key putts at the end as he bogeyed his final two holes.

“I thought I hit two really good par putts but they just didn’t want to go in,” Fowler, one of the rising talents on the PGA Tour, told reporters.

US Open champion Graeme McDowell had a dreadful round shooting an eight-over-par 80.

A triple bogey on the par-five sixth was the worst moment in a day to forget for the 31-year-old Briton two weeks ahead of the US Masters.
 
Thailand’s Kiradech wins SAIL Open

In New Delhi, Kiradech Aphibarnrat of Thailand birdied the last hole to win his first Asian Tour title at the SAIL Open on Friday, beating Siddikur of Bangladesh by just one stroke at the Delhi Golf Club.

Kiradech, who returned with a four-under-par 68 for a four-day total of 16-under-par 272, turned in 35 before posting birdies on holes 10, 12 and 14.

He was level with Siddikur after dropping a shot on hole 16 and admitted to feeling nervous when he stepped up to sink the winning putt from three feet.

“The putt on the last was very near but my hand was shaking! I’m just happy I won. I’ve waited two years for this and I’m very proud of myself,” said the 21-year-old, who dropped on his knees after sinking the winning putt.

He said he was delighted to find his winning form at the $300,000 event, which is co-sanctioned by the Asian Tour and PGTI, after being in contention four times last year.

“I learned a lot from my last two years on the Asian Tour. I felt nervous but I told myself to stick to my game plan and concentrate on my game. That worked for me,” said the Thai, who won $47,550.

Siddikur, the first Bangladeshi to win on the Asian Tour, was hoping for a second title but struggled with his irons as he returned with two birdies against one bogey in a round of 71.

India’s Ajeetesh Sandhu battled hard before dropping a shot on the 16th. He finished in third place on a 274 while compatriot Manav Jaini finished one stroke back.

Miguel Tabuena of the Philippines birdied the first hole but wobbled in the back nine where he returned with two bogeys and one triple bogey on 17.

He closed with 76 for a 288 total to finish in tied 30th place in his first professional tournament.