Jon Rahm started his round strong at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Thursday, before ending it even stronger \u2013 closing eagle-birdie-birdie for a seven-under 65 and a two-shot lead.<\/p>\n
Rahm already has three PGA Tour wins this year and has won five of his last nine tournaments.<\/p>\n
Chris Kirk, Cameron Young and Kurt Kitayama were two back, while the group three behind included defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth and Bay Hill newcomer Patrick Cantlay.<\/p>\n
Rahm opened with three straight birdies but managed to hold steady the rest of the way until he could get ahead of Kirk and Young.<\/p>\n
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The Spaniard hit only eight fairways and was twice blocked by trees \u2013 one time escaping with par with a 30-foot putt on the 15th hole.<\/p>\n
He then hit five-iron to 25 feet on the fringe at the par-five 16th and holed it for eagle. On the par-three 17th, he hammered a seven-iron that cleared the bunker and landed in just the right spot to roll out to two feet.<\/p>\n
On the closing hole, Rahm hit a soft nine-iron to a front pin that settled about six feet away.<\/p>\n
Kirk, fresh from winning the Honda Classic on Sunday which was his first PGA Tour win in almost eight years after a four-year battle with alcoholism, carried on that momentum to seven birdies for a 67 during the morning round.<\/p>\n
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While Young also had a 67 in morning conditions.<\/p>\n
They were joined by Kurt Kitayama, who had a chance to challenge Rahm until dropping his lone shot on his final hole at number nine.<\/a><\/p>\n The group at 68 included defending champion Scottie Scheffler, Jordan Spieth, Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, all among the top 20 in the world.<\/a><\/p>\n Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy was over par from his opening hole and scratched out a 73, including a double bogey on the par-five sixth hole when he drove into the water.<\/p>\n