Collin Morikawa surged into the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational with a spectacular 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole, carding a 5-under 67. The impressive performance placed him one shot ahead of his competitors, providing him an opportunity to clinch his first victory in 17 months. Morikawa, a two-time major champion, last tasted victory at the Zozo Championship in Japan in October 2023. The competition unfolded under challenging conditions as the heat and three days of sun lent a yellow hue to the fairways and greens.
Russell Henley matched Morikawa’s intensity by holing a long bunker shot for birdie on the opening hole, completing his round with a score of 67, just one shot behind. Despite the challenging pin locations, Henley remained strategic, stating:
"Some of these pin locations, I feel I'm having to putt very defensively," – Henley
Jason Day also made a remarkable comeback after an initial round of 76. He managed to regain momentum with a 64 on Friday and a solid 69 on Saturday. Reflecting on the slickness of the greens, he noted:
"Any time you put your putter down and you start sliding on your putter, that's when you know the greens are getting pretty slick," – Day
The final hour of play saw Morikawa, Henley, and Corey Conners exchanging positions at the top of the leaderboard. Conners, representing Canada, missed the 18th fairway, leading to a bogey for a total of 69 and placing him two shots back. Despite the tough conditions, Morikawa acknowledged the precision required:
"You have to hit good shots out there," – Morikawa
Shane Lowry, who led after 36 holes, experienced difficulties on his final hole that reflected the broader challenges faced by players throughout the day. Meanwhile, Scottie Scheffler struggled to keep pace as birdies proved elusive.
Michael Kim delivered an extraordinary performance with two eagles on the back nine, earning him a 67 and tying him with Tony Finau at 5-under 205. Conversely, Rory McIlroy's round was marred by bogeys on three of his last four holes, concluding with a disappointing 73 that left him seven shots behind the leader.
As Morikawa reflected on his potential to end his winless streak, he humorously commented:
"Thank you for putting that in exact days. I hope you have it in hours and minutes," – Morikawa
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