Daniel Berger fired a bogey-free  9-under 63 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge to take the opening lead by three shots at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The American leads the field in Strokes Gained: Tee to Green (5.088) and ranks second in Strokes Gained: Putting (3.718).

“I think the biggest thing for me is just getting in a bit of a rhythm,” said Berger. “I missed all of the fall. I broke my finger at the BMW, so I took basically four months off. Then when you come back you’re just kind of getting back into the flow of things and getting into your routine. And kind of, I’ve really played not really that poorly, and just haven’t had the results. So you just kind of keep doing the same things and good things will come. So that’s kind of where I feel like I’m at.

“I’ve been playing well. It’s like one shot here, one shot there that kind of doesn’t go your way. And even last week I played pretty well and just didn’t quite score the way I wanted to. Really it’s just freeing it up and enjoying it. Coming out here and just doing what you love to do and not thinking about the results and just sticking to the process that you know works for yourself.

“I think the course is just going to get tougher as the week goes on. The greens are going to get firmer. As you can see on 18, there’s a little bit of reception when you’re hitting a wedge in there, and I just, I don’t think that’s going to last. So, yeah, just hit it in the fairway and try to make as many putts as you can.”

63 was his second-lowest round in his PGA Tour career and marks his second 18-hole lead/co-lead (2014 World Wide Technology Championship, finished T51).

He has four Tour wins to his name, at the 2016 FedEx St. Jude Classic, 2017 FedEx St. Jude Classic, 2020 Charles Schwab Challenge and 2021 AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.

In six starts this season, Berger has made five cuts and one top-10 finish (T6/Sony Open in Hawaii).

American Collin Morikawa made an eagle at the par-5 16th as well as six birdies and three bogeys to record a 66, his lowest score in 17 career rounds in the event, and lies in T2 at 6-under. He has had two top-10 finishes in five prior starts in the Arnold Palmer Invitational (T9/2020, 2nd/2025).

Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg eagled the par-5 12th and made two bogeys for his 66 and share of second place, his best first-round score in five starts this season. He finished inside the top 25 in each of his three prior starts in the event (T24/2023, T25/2024, T22/2025).

Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas and American Cameron Young both made two bogeys and shot 67s for a share of fourth place at 5-under.

American World No.1 Scottie Scheffler lies in T18 at 2-under having made two bogeys. Twice a winner at the Bay Hill (2022 and 2024), he seeks to join Tiger Woods (8) as the only players with at least three wins in the event. He has not finished worse than T15 in five prior starts in the event.

World No.2 Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland made five birdies, three bogeys and a double bogey at the par-4 13th for an even-par 72 and is T33.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational features a 72-player field and includes a 36-hole cut (top 50 and ties, as well as players within 10 shots of the lead).

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