Collin Morikawa is on the verge of ending his title drought at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, clinching a one-shot lead with a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th hole Saturday. With a 5-under 67 at Bay Hill, Morikawa edged ahead of Russell Henley as they headeded into the tournament's final round. "It's a course that if you're not playing great it's going to show. It's just one of those that you can't fake it," Morikawa told WESH.
Despite the forgiving conditions—lacking the typical wind and benefiting from occasional cloud cover—the course proved challenging as it was "baked by three days of sun, increasing warmth and greens that are lightning quick," as described by ClickOrlando. In the close contest, Corey Conners remains two shots behind after failing to hit the 18th fairway, and Shane Lowry, previously leading at the 36-hole mark, now lags six shots behind after rolling a birdie chance 7 feet past the hole on the 18th.
The leaderboard is tightly packed with Henley one shot behind following a stretch of four consecutive birdies on the back nine. Morikawa's exemplary short game saw him navigate the course with an almost clinical precision, allowing him to dodge the bogey bullet over the final four-hole stretch that tripped up some of his peers. "You have to hit good shots out there. It can get you from any direction," Morikawa was quoted by ClickOrlando.
Other contenders include Jason Day, who bounced back into contention with a spate of three straight birdies towards his round's end, and Michael Kim alongside Tony Finau at 5-under 205. Kim, in particular, captured attention with two eagles on back nine—positioning himself as the only player in the top five contention who isn't already exempt for the Masters. A win here would do more than bolster his record. It would grant him an invite to one of golf's most esteemed tournaments. Morikawa, who has notched up two majors already, last savored victory in October 2023 at the Zozo Championship in Japan. "Thank you for putting that in exact days. I hope you have it in hours and minutes." As per ClickOrlando, he sarcastically remarked when the Golf Channel reminded him of the 502-day gap since his last win.
All eyes are now fixed on the 18 holes that remain, with Morikawa and Henley poised for a stiff bout on the emerald lanes of Bay Hill. Golf, ever a game of patience and strategy, will put their mettle to the test in a fitting tribute to the legendary Arnold Palmer, whose legacy looms large over the competition. As for Morikawa, he's just 18 holes away from potentially reclaiming his spot atop a PGA Tour podium, a prospect brimming with high stakes and the inescapable pressure that goes hand in glove with professional golf.
