The Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill has seen Collin Morikawa, the world’s fifth-ranked golfer, show his mettle as he stands in a three-way tie for the third position. Despite a dry spell since his victory at the 2023 ZOZO Championship, the two-time major winner is eager to reclaim his winning streak this year.
Morikawa has demonstrated remarkable consistency, finishing as the runner-up at The Sentry and securing a place within the top 20 at both the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational. Currently three strokes behind the leader, Shane Lowry, Morikawa’s consistent performance could be a harbinger of an imminent win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
The challenging Bay Hill course, which Morikawa has candidly confessed to not wanting to play every week, has shown its fangs during the first two rounds. Echoing the sentiments of USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley, who labeled it as the toughest course on the PGA Tour, Morikawa acknowledged its difficulty.
Post his second-round performance, Morikawa opened up about his views on the Bay Hill course. As much as he appreciated the challenge it posed, he admitted that he wouldn’t fancy playing there every week. “These difficult courses are great when you’re in control of your golf ball and are on top of your game. But it’s a different story when you’re off,” Morikawa commented.
He further elucidated that these courses demand sharp focus and the level of intensity akin to a major championship. “There’s no easy ride this week; it’s only going to get tougher, so we just got to be ready for that,” he added.
The tricky greens of Bay Hill were also pointed out by Scottie Scheffler, while Rory McIlroy highlighted the challenging crosswinds.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s Shane Lowry continued to make strides at Bay Hill, carding a 67 and putting himself in an excellent position for the weekend. Following Lowry, two strokes behind, is Wyndham Clark at six under. Tying with Morikawa at five under is Corey Connors, with a quartet of players trailing at four under.
Four strokes behind Lowry are McIlroy, Russell Henley, and Jason Day, who caught everyone’s attention with an eight-under 64 on day two, climbing 40 spots after an initial 76 on day one. Billy Horschel, who played alongside Day, commended the Aussie’s performance, calling it one of the best he had seen in a long time.
