Collin Morikawa Surges to Lead at Arnold Palmer Invitational as Shane Lowry Stumbles

Collin Morikawa has taken a commanding position at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, shooting a five-under-par 67 in the third round to secure a one-shot lead. The world number five displayed exceptional skill, sinking six birdies, including a crucial 12-foot putt on the final hole, to move to 10 under overall.

Key Highlights

• Morikawa's Performance: Morikawa's round was highlighted by his precision and poise, especially on the back nine, where he capitalized on key birdie opportunities.
• Russell Henley's Challenge: Henley, another American, remains in close contention after matching Morikawa's 67, finishing at nine under.
• Corey Conners and Jason Day: Canada's Corey Conners trails by two strokes, while Australia's Jason Day is just one shot further back, setting the stage for a thrilling final round.

Shane Lowry's Struggles

Ireland's Shane Lowry, who started the day with a two-shot lead, faltered with a four-over 76, dropping him to four under and six strokes behind Morikawa. Lowry's struggles were emblematic of a challenging day for several top players.

Other Notable Performances

• Rory McIlroy: The world number two faced difficulties, carding a one-over 73, leaving him tied for 10th.
• Michael Kim and Tony Finau: Both players moved into distant contention at five under, with Kim shooting a 67 and Finau a 68.
• Andrew Novak: Novak enjoyed the best round of the day with a bogey-free 65, moving him to four under.

Morikawa's Outlook

Speaking after his round, Morikawa reflected on his past performances at Bay Hill and his current mindset heading into the final round. "I've come to this event not playing great previously," he said. "But this was one of my first professional starts as an amateur, I played in 2017, and I love the golf course."

He added, "On a course like this, you just have to have complete control of your golf ball, so that's what it's going to take tomorrow. I would say the guys that are winning on a constant basis, they're playing free, and that's how I'm going to go out tomorrow."

With the final round looming, all eyes will be on Morikawa as he seeks to secure his first PGA Tour win since October 2023.