Collin Morikawa made his first bogey in 40 holes at the par-3 14th and closed with a 5-under 67 to take a one-shot lead at 10-under at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“I’m very pleased. I could easily go back and say I left a couple birdie putts out there on a couple holes, but for the most part it was fairly stress-free. I thought I did a really good job on the greens today, just kind of not lagging it, but just hitting good pace on the putts. You get on these greens and they’re slippery. Where these pins are cut, they’re just, it’s really, really dicey, and you just have to commit to hitting very, very drip-in speeds, and I did that starting on hole 1,” said Morikawa.
The American holds the 54-hole lead/co-lead in individual stroke-play events on Tour for the fifth time and is 1-for-4 in converting to victory (2021 World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession).
Morikawa has had nine top-10s in 25 starts since his last PGA Tour title at the 2023 Baycurrent Classic, including a runner-up at the 2025 Sentry, one of three starts this season.
American Russell Henley made two bogeys and also closed with a 67 to move into second place at 9-under.
Canadian Corey Conners signed for a 69 and lies in third place at 8-under. He entered the week with four consecutive top-25 finishes at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, including a solo third in 2021. He has had one top-10 finish in five starts this season (T5/The Sentry).
One day after posting his best score (64) in 41 rounds at Bay Hill, Australian Jason Day lies in fourth place three shots off the lead after carding a 69.
Second-round leader Shane Lowry of Ireland made just two birdies on Saturday and suffered from a pair of bogeys and two double bogeys at the par-4s 11th and 13th for a 76. He is currently tied in seventh place at 4-under.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is tied in 10th at 3-under following a 73 while American Scottie Scheffler shot 71 and is tied in 13t at 2-under.
