PGA Tour: Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton vying for Arnold Palmer as Kurt Kitayama leads the way | Golf News

Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland sit one stroke behind Kurt Kitayama heading into the ultimate spherical of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with defending champion Scheffler seeking to declare the highest spot on the planet rankings with a win.

Tyrrell Hatton and Rory McIlroy are in rivalry on the Arnold Palmer Invitational as Kurt Kitayama shot a par 72 to take a one-stroke lead on Sunday.

Hatton, who gained the occasion in 2020, is 2 pictures behind Kitayama in fourth after capturing a bogey-free six-under 66 on Saturday.

McIlroy, too, escaped bogey-free as he completed 4 below the lap to complete fifth alongside Harris English, leaving him three strokes behind.

“I feel any time you will get away with weekend bogeys at Bay Hill, you are doing one thing proper,” McIlroy mentioned. “I jumped straight into the event, into the center of the matter for tomorrow.”

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Kurt Kitayama mirrored on his high spot on the finish of day three of the Arnold Palmer Invitational as he seeks to enter the PGA Tour winner’s circle.

Kitayama stabilized on the stretch as he closed with two birdies over the ultimate three holes to stroll away with par 72 and a one-stroke benefit, the 30-year-old chasing for a primary win over the PGA Tour.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler in the meantime birdied 5 occasions over his final seven holes to complete 68 and one shot behind Viktor Hovland of Norway (66), the latter of whom completed second final 12 months.

McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Max Homa have been all inside attain for Kitayama if he misplaced floor or if Bay Hill was baked and brittle as is often the case for the ultimate spherical.

For now, Kitayama held agency.

“Simply pleased with the way in which I fought,” he mentioned.

His two-stroke lead was gone when he despatched his drive effectively to the precise and out of bounds on the par-5 fourth gap, and he got here out on 39 as Hovland planted himself on high and McIlroy made his transfer with a exceptional spherical of 68 with out bogey.

However Scheffler is respiratory down his neck, who has already efficiently defended a title this 12 months on the WM Phoenix Open.

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A have a look at Tyrell Hatton’s finest pictures on day three of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

He took care of each par 5s on the again 9, hit a lob nook on a scare pin on the 13 for a birdie and saved his finest for the par 3 17. Even with the wind at his again, his solely hope was to hit one thing left on the brick-hard inexperienced. The primary thought was a smooth 9 iron. He felt the wind change and determined to hammer the 9 iron, and he set 4 toes for a birdie.

Scheffler capped his birdie-birdie-birdie end with a six-foot strategy on the 18.

Now, the Masters champion is inside attain of one other title that might be sufficient to deliver him again to world No.

“That needs to be one other enjoyable one,” he mentioned. “That is what’s thrilling about our new schedule. I feel we will have much more stuff like that. I am certain Viktor is seeking to beat me this 12 months and I am seeking to do the identical. There’s lots gifted guys on the leaderboard, although. I am not going to be too targeted on anybody aside from myself tomorrow.”

Jon Rahm is at risk of dropping high spot within the standings, opening with a 65 earlier than following with two straight 76s after making 5 consecutive bogeys on the flip of the third spherical.

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