Scottie Scheffler, Shane Lowry share 54-hole PGA lead at Arnold Palmer Invitational
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Scottie Scheffler chips onto the 17th green during the third round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
PHOTO: REUTERS
MIAMI – World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Ireland’s Shane Lowry survived windy conditions to share the lead after the third round of the PGA Tour’s Arnold Palmer Invitational on March 9.
Scheffler, the 2022 Masters champion, and Lowry, the 2019 British Open champion, each fired a two-under 70 to stand on nine-under 207 after 54 holes at Bay Hill in Orlando.
Reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark (71) was third on 208, with fellow Americans Will Zalatoris (71) and Russell Henley (72) and Japan’s Hideki Matsuyama (72) next on 209. Scheffler and Lowry were among six players who shared the second-round lead and they kept their patience during gusty conditions in roller-coaster rounds.
“I had a lot of patience around the course,” Scheffler, 27, said.
“It’s a tough place to play, especially when you get winds like this. It’s tough to make putts and get the ball close to the hole.
“It was challenging with the gusty winds. I just did my best to try and hit good putts. Proud of how I finished and did a good job of staying patient.”
The American got off to a slow start, picking up three bogeys against just one birdie on the front nine. But he proceeded to birdie three of his first four holes on the back, then added two more birdies at 15th and 16th before closing out his round.
Lowry charged late, answering a bogey at the 14th with birdie putts from three feet at the 16th and 32 feet at the 17th.
“Holed a nice one on 17, but I didn’t feel that comfortable with it all day. It was hard out there,” the 36-year-old said.
“When you play in windy conditions, the hardest part of it is putting. Certainly it was today. At the end, it was just great to hole that one on 17. I was pretty happy with that... I’m very happy with my day’s work.”
While Lowry knows going up against the No. 1 player in the world in Scheffler will be no easy task, it is an opportunity he is not taking for granted.
“These are the reasons you get out of bed in the morning, to get out and compete against the best players in the world,” he added. “I’m excited, I’m looking forward to it.
“I’m just going to go out and do my thing and regardless of what happens, I think it’s great progress for me over the last few weeks.”
American Harris English (68) was seventh on 210 while a pack on 211 included world No. 2 Rory McIlroy, who fired a 68 that included six birdies on the back nine. AFP, REUTERS
