March 07-10
Bay Hill Club and Lodge, Bay Hill, Florida
$9,100,000
England's Matthew Fitzpatrick fired a bogey-free five-under par 67 Saturday to seize a one-stroke lead over defending champion Rory McIlroy after the third round of the US PGA Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Fitzpatrick, a 24-year-old seeking his first US PGA title after five European Tour triumphs, stood on nine-under 207 for 54 holes at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida.
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โ PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) 10 March 2019
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Four-time major winner McIlroy, who would complete the career Grand Slam by winning next month's Masters, fired a 67 to join pal Fitzpatrick in Sunday's final pairing.
"It'll be a fun day," Fitzpatrick said. "I've become good friends with him. He has got a ton of fans over here. It's exciting. I've put myself in a good position. I'm looking forward to it."
Australia's Aaron Baddeley, England's Matt Wallace and American Kevin Kisner shared third on 209 but McIlroy, who began the day seven adrift, said plenty of rivals are within reach of the title.
"It's so bunched," McIlroy said. "I'd still say the 2- and 3-unders still have a chance to win the tournament."
World number 44 Fitzpatrick, never better than a share of seventh in a US PGA event, opened with a nine-foot birdie, added a three-footer to birdie the par-5 fourth, began the back nine with a 10-foot birdie putt and added two more at the par-4 15th from 13 feet plus a tap-in at the par-5 16th.
"Just played really smart," said Fitzpatrick. "I've been driving it pretty solid all week. Did the same today. Hit a lot of greens. You've got to play smart and stick to your shots and hit the greens. It's getting harder out there."
Northern Ireland's McIlroy birdied four of the first six holes and three of the last our holes while taking his lone bogey at the par-4 eighth.
"I've just been trying to play high cuts into every single pin I can look at. It's the only way I feel like I can stop the ball near the pin," McIlroy said.
"I knew the key for me today was to hit fairways. The greens are so pure. Whenever you start them on line they have a good chance."
Sixth-ranked McIlroy put his approach to five feet and made birdie at the par-3 second then sank an 11-foot birdie putt at the par-4 third.
After a three-putt par at the par-5 fifth, McIlroy sank a 26-foot birdie putt at the fifth and then blasted from a greenside bunker inches from the cup on the way to a birdie at the par-5 sixth.
He escaped nine with a par after "probably the worst mud ball I've ever hadโฆ it was good to get away with a four there."
McIlroy's ferocious finish saw him sink short tap-in birdies at 15 and the par-5 16th then sink a nine-foot par putt at the par-3 17th and drop a birdie putt from the same distance at 18.
"It was nice for that one to go in to cap off a really good round," McIlroy said.
McIlroy has not won since taking last year's crown at Bay Hill, his 14th career PGA victory.
"This golf course has played much tougher from the beginning compared to previous years," McIlroy said. "The course is going to get tougher as it goes along.
"The greens are getting so firm and so fast out there, anything above the hole you're going to have trouble getting it to stop."
McIlroy won major titles at the 2011 US Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championship and the 2014 British Open.
Second-round co-leaders Keegan Bradley of the United States and Tommy Fleetwood of England faded, Bradley firing 75 to finish three back and Fleetwood shooting 76 to stand four adrift.
Pos. |
Player | Nat |
To Par |
R1 |
R2 |
R3 |
Total |
1 |
Matthew Fitzpatrick | ENG |
-9 |
70 |
70 |
67 |
207 |
2 |
Rory McIlroy | NIR |
-8 |
72 |
70 |
66 |
208 |
T3 |
Aaron Baddeley | AUS |
-7 |
70 |
70 |
69 |
209 |
T3 |
Matt Wallace | ENG |
-7 |
71 |
69 |
69 |
209 |
T3 |
Kevin Kisner | USA |
-7 |
70 |
69 |
70 |
209 |
T6 |
Chris Kirk | USA |
-6 |
71 |
73 |
66 |
210 |
T6 |
Luke List | USA |
-6 |
70 |
72 |
68 |
210 |
T6 |
Charles Howell III | USA |
-6 |
74 |
67 |
69 |
210 |
T6 |
Rafael Cabrera Bello | ESP |
-6 |
65 |
75 |
70 |
210 |
T6 |
Keegan Bradley | USA |
-6 |
67 |
68 |
75 |
210 |
T11 |
Tyrrell Hatton | ENG |
-5 |
70 |
75 |
66 |
211 |
T11 |
Jason Kokrak | USA |
-5 |
70 |
73 |
68 |
211 |
T11 |
Martin Kaymer | GER |
-5 |
72 |
69 |
70 |
211 |
T11 |
Bubba Watson | USA |
-5 |
68 |
72 |
71 |
211 |
T11 |
Sung-Jae Im | KOR |
-5 |
71 |
69 |
71 |
211 |
T11 |
Tommy Fleetwood | ENG |
-5 |
69 |
66 |
76 |
211 |
T17 |
Graeme McDowell | NIR |
-4 |
68 |
75 |
69 |
212 |
T17 |
Henrik Stenson | SWE |
-4 |
77 |
66 |
69 |
212 |
T17 |
Lucas Glover | USA |
-4 |
70 |
71 |
71 |
212 |
T17 |
Sung-Hoon Kang | KOR |
-4 |
69 |
72 |
71 |
212 |
T17 |
Francesco Molinari | ITA |
-4 |
69 |
70 |
73 |
212 |
T17 |
Billy Horschel | USA |
-4 |
68 |
71 |
73 |
212 |
T23 |
Adam Hadwin | CAN |
-3 |
70 |
75 |
68 |
213 |
T23 |
Byeong-Hun An | KOR |
-3 |
72 |
72 |
69 |
213 |
T23 |
Carlos Ortiz | MEX |
-3 |
72 |
71 |
70 |
213 |
T23 |
Hideki Matsuyama | JPN |
-3 |
72 |
70 |
71 |
213 |
T23 |
Chesson Hadley | USA |
-3 |
71 |
71 |
71 |
213 |
T23 |
Kevin Streelman | USA |
-3 |
70 |
72 |
71 |
213 |
T23 |
Brendan Steele | USA |
-3 |
70 |
71 |
72 |
213 |
T23 |
Kiradech Aphibarnrat | THA |
-3 |
71 |
70 |
72 |
213 |
T23 |
Roger Sloan | CAN |
-3 |
70 |
69 |
74 |
213 |
T32 |
Adam Long | USA |
-2 |
74 |
71 |
69 |
214 |
T32 |
Scott Piercy | USA |
-2 |
74 |
70 |
70 |
214 |
T32 |
Adam Schenk | USA |
-2 |
70 |
73 |
71 |
214 |
T32 |
Marc Leishman | AUS |
-2 |
72 |
70 |
72 |
214 |
T32 |
Pat Perez | USA |
-2 |
69 |
73 |
72 |
214 |
T32 |
Ian Poulter | ENG |
-2 |
73 |
68 |
73 |
214 |
T32 |
Patrick Rodgers | USA |
-2 |
68 |
73 |
73 |
214 |
T32 |
Keith Mitchell | USA |
-2 |
71 |
68 |
75 |
214 |
T32 |
Jhonattan Vegas | VEN |
-2 |
69 |
70 |
75 |
214 |
T41 |
Ryan Blaum | USA |
-1 |
73 |
72 |
70 |
215 |
T41 |
Johnson Wagner | USA |
-1 |
71 |
72 |
72 |
215 |
T41 |
Beau Hossler | USA |
-1 |
76 |
66 |
73 |
215 |
T41 |
Sam Saunders | USA |
-1 |
73 |
68 |
74 |
215 |
T45 |
Rickie Fowler | USA |
Par |
74 |
71 |
71 |
216 |
T45 |
J. T. Poston | USA |
Par |
71 |
72 |
73 |
216 |
T45 |
Ryan Moore | USA |
Par |
71 |
72 |
73 |
216 |
T45 |
Scott Stallings | USA |
Par |
69 |
74 |
73 |
216 |
T45 |
Aaron Wise | USA |
Par |
72 |
70 |
74 |
216 |
T45 |
J. J. Spaun | USA |
Par |
71 |
70 |
75 |
216 |
T45 |
Patrick Reed | USA |
Par |
70 |
70 |
76 |
216 |
T52 |
Harris English | USA |
1 |
76 |
69 |
72 |
217 |
T52 |
Viktor Hovland | NOR |
1 |
74 |
70 |
73 |
217 |
T52 |
Hudson Swafford | USA |
1 |
70 |
74 |
73 |
217 |
T52 |
Sam Ryder | USA |
1 |
74 |
69 |
74 |
217 |
T52 |
Sam Horsfield | ENG |
1 |
74 |
69 |
74 |
217 |
T52 |
D. A. Points | USA |
1 |
72 |
71 |
74 |
217 |
T52 |
Zach Johnson | USA |
1 |
70 |
71 |
76 |
217 |
T59 |
Sam Burns | USA |
2 |
76 |
69 |
73 |
218 |
T59 |
Brandt Snedeker | USA |
2 |
73 |
71 |
74 |
218 |
T59 |
Tim Herron | USA |
2 |
72 |
70 |
76 |
218 |
T59 |
Joaquin Niemann | CHI |
2 |
71 |
71 |
76 |
218 |
T59 |
Justin Rose | ENG |
2 |
71 |
70 |
77 |
218 |
T64 |
Bryson DeChambeau | USA |
3 |
75 |
70 |
74 |
219 |
T64 |
Hunter Mahan | USA |
3 |
76 |
69 |
74 |
219 |
T64 |
Eddie Pepperell | ENG |
3 |
72 |
68 |
79 |
219 |
T67 |
Steve Stricker | USA |
4 |
75 |
69 |
76 |
220 |
T67 |
Martin Trainer | USA |
4 |
70 |
71 |
79 |
220 |
69 |
Jimmy Walker | USA |
6 |
70 |
71 |
81 |
222 |
70 |
Anirban Lahiri | IND |
7 |
74 |
69 |
80 |
223 |
CUT |
Austin Cook | USA |
2 |
75 |
71 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Brice Garnett | USA |
2 |
75 |
71 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Bronson Burgoon | USA |
2 |
72 |
74 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Bud Cauley | USA |
2 |
71 |
75 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Charley Hoffman | USA |
2 |
75 |
71 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Cheng Tsung Pan | TPE |
2 |
73 |
73 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Ernie Els | RSA |
2 |
71 |
75 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Kevin Na | USA |
2 |
73 |
73 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Kyle Stanley | USA |
2 |
75 |
71 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Michael Thompson | USA |
2 |
76 |
70 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Phil Mickelson | USA |
2 |
68 |
78 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Thorbjorn Olesen | DEN |
2 |
73 |
73 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Vaughn Taylor | USA |
2 |
75 |
71 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Vijay Singh | FIJ |
2 |
73 |
73 |
- |
146 |
CUT |
Braden Thornberry | USA |
3 |
76 |
71 |
- |
147 |
CUT |
Brian Gay | USA |
3 |
74 |
73 |
- |
147 |
CUT |
Brooks Koepka | USA |
3 |
74 |
73 |
- |
147 |
CUT |
Danny Lee | NZL |
3 |
70 |
77 |
- |
147 |
CUT |
Justin Suh | USA |
3 |
72 |
75 |
- |
147 |
CUT |
Michael Kim | KOR |
3 |
73 |
74 |
- |
147 |
CUT |
J. B. Holmes | USA |
4 |
78 |
70 |
- |
148 |
CUT |
Louis Oosthuizen | RSA |
4 |
76 |
72 |
- |
148 |
CUT |
Martin Laird | SCO |
4 |
77 |
71 |
- |
148 |
CUT |
Nate Lashley | USA |
4 |
71 |
77 |
- |
148 |
CUT |
Ollie Schniederjans | USA |
4 |
76 |
72 |
- |
148 |
CUT |
Ryan Armour | USA |
4 |
75 |
73 |
- |
148 |
CUT |
Andrew Landry | USA |
5 |
80 |
69 |
- |
149 |
CUT |
Brian Harman | USA |
5 |
75 |
74 |
- |
149 |
CUT |
Corey Conners | CAN |
5 |
71 |
78 |
- |
149 |
CUT |
Daniel Berger | USA |
5 |
77 |
72 |
- |
149 |
CUT |
Robert Streb | USA |
5 |
74 |
75 |
- |
149 |
CUT |
Shane Lowry | IRL |
5 |
70 |
79 |
- |
149 |
CUT |
Danny Willett | ENG |
6 |
78 |
72 |
- |
150 |
CUT |
Jason Dufner | USA |
6 |
76 |
74 |
- |
150 |
CUT |
Joel Dahmen | USA |
6 |
74 |
76 |
- |
150 |
CUT |
Si-Woo Kim | KOR |
6 |
78 |
72 |
- |
150 |
CUT |
Abraham Ancer | USA |
7 |
77 |
74 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Cameron Champ | USA |
7 |
81 |
70 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Dominic Bozzelli | USA |
7 |
72 |
79 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Haotong Li | CHN |
7 |
77 |
74 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Harold Varner III | USA |
7 |
79 |
72 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Richy Werenski | USA |
7 |
77 |
74 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Stewart Cink | USA |
7 |
72 |
79 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Ted Potter Jr. | USA |
7 |
81 |
70 |
- |
151 |
CUT |
Anders Albertson | USA |
8 |
77 |
75 |
- |
152 |
CUT |
Scott Brown | USA |
10 |
78 |
76 |
- |
154 |
CUT |
Scott Langley | USA |
10 |
74 |
80 |
- |
154 |
CUT |
Rod Perry | USA |
11 |
75 |
80 |
- |
155 |
CUT |
Bill Haas | USA |
12 |
77 |
79 |
- |
156 |
CUT |
Matthew Every | USA |
12 |
83 |
73 |
- |
156 |
CUT |
Chris Stroud | USA |
13 |
79 |
78 |
- |
157 |
CUT |
Robert Gamez | USA |
20 |
82 |
82 |
- |
164 |
RET |
Jason Day | AUS |
Par |
- |
- |
- |
0 |