Collin Morikawa holds one-stroke lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational entering final round
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Leader Collin Morikawa looking over a putt on the 15th hole during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course.
PHOTO: AFP
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ORLANDO – Collin Morikawa wanted to make the challenges associated with playing at Bay Hill Club and Lodge stress-free, and he would need to do that for one more day.
The American shot a five-under 67 on March 8 to move into the lead at 10-under 206 after three rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida.
“For the most part, it was fairly stress-free,” he said. “I thought I did a really good job on the greens, just kind of not lagging it, but just hitting good pace on the putts.”
He held a one-stroke edge over compatriot Russell Henley going into the final round on March 9, which ended after press time.
Morikawa drained a birdie putt from almost 12 feet away on the last hole to gain sole possession of first place.
The two-time Major winner said he knows there are tricky components on this layout, so he was prepared for that mentally.
“Fairways are narrow, rough’s thick, lies aren’t easy, and you just got to get lucky here and there with a couple,” he said.
Morikawa did not post a victory in 2024, so he was aiming for a calm approach while bidding for his first win since the 2023 Zozo Championship.
“I would say the guys that are winning on a constant basis, they’re playing free,” the 28-year-old said. “That’s how I’m going to go out (on March 9).”
Henley rolled in four consecutive birdies to begin the backside on his way to 67. Three more birdies helped counter a pair of bogeys during the round.
The 35-year-old said he is unfazed by difficult set-ups. Fifteen golfers had sub-70 rounds on March 8.
“You just know it’s going to be a tough day, and I know everybody’s got to play it and you just got to do your best,” Henley said.
Canada’s Corey Conners (69) was third at 208. He went to the last hole tied for the lead, but his bogey combined with Morikawa’s birdie shuffled the order and the 33-year-old said the final round was going to be a challenge.
“I think the greens are going to continue to be really firm and fast,” Conners said. “It will put a real premium on being in control of your ball, being in the fairway and just trying to roll putts in the hole.”
Australia’s Jason Day (69) moved to fourth place at 209. Michael Kim (67) and Tony Finau (68) are at 211.
Former world No. 1 Day had moved into a tie for the lead after six holes, then had bogeys on the next three. He got it back together with birdies on four of the last eight holes.
“Just being out here for so long, I think you just learn to put it behind you,” Day said. “Especially on a course like this, you know that everyone’s going to make mistakes, so you just got to try and get everything kind of level-headed.”
Second-round leader Shane Lowry of Ireland began the day with a two-shot advantage on Wyndham Clark. Lowry’s 76 moved him to 212 and into a seventh-place tie with Austrian Sepp Straka (69) and American Andrew Novak, whose bogey-free 65 was the best round of the day.
Clark slipped even deeper down the leaderboard, shooting 76 and falling to a tie for 13th with three others, including title holder Scottie Scheffler (71), at 214. REUTERS
