Orlando, Fla. – Collin Morikawa made a 12-foot birdie putt on the baked Bay Hill route on Saturday’s 18th hole, giving him a win-win lead in Arnold Palmer’s invitational and a chance to win for the first time in 17 months.
Russell Henley played a long bunker for the birdie on the opening hole, ran four straight four shots, started nine and had 67 to finish one. Canada’s Corey Conners missed the 18th fairway and eliminated it, giving bogey 69 more, and two more.
Even without much wind and occasional cloud cover, the sun and three days of sunlight bring a yellow shine to the fairway and green. Bird putters within reasonable range sometimes cross the hole, sometimes crossing 8 feet or more.
36-hole leader Shane Lowry tasted this in his last hole. He shot so far on the tee of the 18th shot that only the rough collar could make it roll into the water. He had only a birdie within 25 feet of his chance, looking at the 7-foot hole.
He managed to throw it away 76, leaving him six shots behind. Rory McIlroy left Bogey seven shots behind with 73 in three of his last four holes.
Scottie Scheffler tried to stay within range, but the birds were hard to get. He missed at No. 13 – the front pin and crisp green – into the rocks. He managed to save the bogey from it, but he could only manage 71 shots to shoot down eight shots.
Morikawa scored 10 in 206.
“You have to hit the ball there,” he said. “It can get you out of any direction.”
Last hour Morikawa, Henley and Conners trade attraction or share time at the top. Morikawa is the only one to avoid bogey in the last four hole stretches. He lay on a 5-16 card and hit the Lob wedge, allowing a 6-foot birdie trick to flow into the cup.
He barely touched his 12-foot birdie putt on the last hole.
Every shot – trying to keep it on fairways, green and putts – requires respect.
“Some of these positions, I feel like I have to put the ball on the defense,” Henry said.
Jason Day opened with a 76-shot run and resumed on Friday with 64 points and 69 wild games in the No. 64 Championship. He took the lead briefly until he finished the first nine with a three-link bogey. He lost the ground until the last three links, including 20 feet on the 17th.
His measure of firmness at the putter’s turn.
“Whenever you put down the putter and start sliding on the putter, that’s when you know the green is getting really smooth,” Day said. “They are changing the color and you can start to see the color change.”
Michael Kim’s back nine had two Hawks 67, joining Tony Finau (68) with 5 shots in 205. King is the only player in the only player in the top five who has yet to save Masters, and the victory will be taken care of.
Morikawa is a two-time minority champion and his final victory was at the Zozo Championship in Japan in October 2023. He was back with longtime coach Rick Sessinghaus and Butter faded out of such excellent control, which gave him more chances.
The golf channel reminded him that it has been 502 days.
“Thank you for bringing this up on the exact day. I hope you have it in hours and minutes,” he said.
The only important numbers are 18 holes and a lot of pressure.
