In the lead-up to the Arnold Palmer Invitational’s final round, professional golfer Smylie Kaufman has voiced concerns over the conditions at Bay Hill. The course, renowned for its demanding layout, has been particularly challenging this year due to strong winds, thick rough, and exceptionally fast greens.
The fourth Signature Event of 2025, the Arnold Palmer Invitational, has proven to be a formidable challenge for the competitors, pushing their skills to the limit. Following the first round, Scottie Scheffler remarked on the difficulty posed by the unpredictable greens. Similarly, Rory McIlroy found himself grappling with the challenging crosswinds. This came on the heels of a rather generously scoring event at PGA National the previous week, making the rigorous test at Bay Hill a stark contrast.
However, Kaufman’s concerns raise the question: is Bay Hill’s final round set to be an excessively daunting task?
Golf Channel broadcaster Kaufman expressed his apprehensions about the challenging conditions at Bay Hill. He took to X after Saturday’s play to draw attention to the “borderline” condition of the putting surfaces.
“I seriously don’t know what they can do about the golf course with these high winds predicted tomorrow,” Kaufman stated, highlighting the severity of the situation. He further added, “The greens are so borderline already. I expect they won’t cut the greens tomorrow, but I don’t even know if there is any grass to cut.”
As we look ahead to the final round, two-time major winner Collin Morikawa is in the lead. After clinching victories in 2023, Morikawa is on the hunt for his first win since then. He currently holds the 54-hole lead at Bay Hill, one stroke clear of his teammate from the USA Presidents Cup, Russell Henley.
Morikawa’s performance was impressive, scoring birdies on three of the front nine holes and adding three more on the back.
Hot on his heels is Canadian Corey Conners, two shots behind at eight under. Australian golfer Jason Day also remains in contention at seven under after a 69 round on Saturday.
Meanwhile, the 36-hole leader, Shane Lowry, had a less than stellar third round. The Irish golfer suffered two double-bogeys on the back nine, causing a significant drop in his position on the leaderboard. Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open winner, also encountered difficulties, ending with a round of 76.
As the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational looms, all eyes will be on Bay Hill to see how the golfers navigate the challenging course conditions and who will emerge victorious in this stern test of golfing ability.