Golf: Kitayama holds on to Bay Hill lead as Scheffler, Hovland chase
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Kurt Kitayama plays his shot from the 14th tee during the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 5, 2023.
PHOTO: AFP
Follow topic:
MIAMI – No matter what happens in the final round of the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational on Sunday, Kurt Kitayama is proud that he does not give up and will “fight for every shot”.
On Saturday, the American rolled in a long birdie putt on the 18th green to take a slender one-shot lead after the third round at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida.
Kitayama – who is chasing his first PGA Tour title – had started the day two shots clear of the field, but looked to be in trouble after a double-bogey and a bogey saw him reach the turn at three over.
But four birdies down the stretch salvaged his round, his 16-foot putt on the 18th securing an even-par 72 that left him one clear of an increasingly congested leaderboard on nine-under 207.
“Really proud of how I was able to fight back to even,” Kitayama said.
“I’ve always just felt like there’s no giving up. It’s just kind of in my nature.
“Even when it’s going bad, you can’t just pack it in. You fight for every shot.”
Until his birdie on the 18th, it looked as if he would have to settle for a share of the lead alongside Scottie Scheffler and Norway’s Viktor Hovland, who are tied for second spot on eight under.
Scheffler’s round caught fire with a hat-trick of closing birdies to complete a four-under 68 while Hovland conjured a brilliant six-under 66 to jump 18 places up the leaderboard.
Former world No. 1 Scheffler said afterwards the secret to his success had been trying to stay patient after an erratic start to his round that included three bogeys and four birdies.
“I didn’t want to put myself out of the tournament,” he said.
“Around this golf course, as you see today, there’s guys that have gone from very far behind to be in the lead.
“Around this place if you can get hot you’re never too far out of it. I just tried to keep reminding myself of that.”
Scottie Scheffler plays a shot on the 18th hole during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 4, 2023.
PHOTO: AFP
Scheffler will reclaim the No. 1 ranking with a victory on Sunday if rival Jon Rahm fails to finish any better than solo second place.
A runner-up finish would be good enough for Scheffler if Rahm finishes worse than a tie for ninth.
Rahm’s hopes of hanging on to the top spot faded on Saturday after the Spaniard posted a second straight four-over 76.
His nightmare round included a run of five straight bogeys between the seventh and 11th holes.
Hovland produced another sparkling piece of iron play, chipping in from a bunker on the par-three 14th for birdie, as he compiled his bogey-free round.
“It was just really, really solid,” said the Norwegian, who finished second at Bay Hill last season behind Scheffler.
“I wasn’t really close to making a bogey the whole day.” AFP
