PGA Tour: Rory McIlroy and Tyrrell Hatton in contention at Arnold Palmer as Kurt Kitayama leads the way | Golf News

Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland sit one-shot behind Kurt Kitayama heading into the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with defending champion Scheffler looking to claim the No. 1 spot in the world rankings with a win.

Tyrrell Hatton and Rory McIlroy were in contention at the Arnold Palmer Invitational as Kurt Kitayama shot a par 72 to take a one-shot lead into Sunday.

Hatton, who won the event in 2020, sits two shots behind Kitayama in fourth place after shooting a bogey-free six-under 66 on Saturday.

McIlroy, too, escaped bogey-less when he finished fourth in the round to tie for fifth alongside England’s Harris, leaving him three shots back.

“I think if you can go bogey-free on the weekend at Bay Hill, you’re doing something right,” McIlroy said. “I’m going straight to the tournament, to different things for tomorrow.”

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Kurt Kitayama is projected to top the leaderboard at the end of day three at the Arnold Palmer Invitational as he looks to get into the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour.

Kitayama stayed down as he closed with two birdies over the final three holes to leave with a 72 and a one-shot advantage, the 30-year-old still on track for his first PGA Tour victory.

Defending champion Scottie Scheffler meanwhile had five birdies in the last seven holes to finish with a 68 and one shot behind Norway’s Viktor Hovland (66), the latter last year’s runner-up.

McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Max Homa are all within reach of Kitayama if he loses or if Bay Hill is as toasty and fragile as ever for the final round.

Now, Kitayama is holding his own.

“Just proud of the way I fought,” he said.

His two-shot lead disappeared when he sent a drive well to the right and out on the par-5 fourth hole, and he was out in 39 when Hovland planted it on top and McIlroy made the move with a remarkable bogey-free round of 68.

But breathing down Scheffler’s neck, who has managed to defend one title this year at the WM Phoenix Open.

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A look at Tyrell Hatton’s best shots on the third day of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

He took care of two par 5s on the back nine, hit a wedge lob on the scary pin at 13 for birdie, and saved his best for the par-3 17. Even with the wind at his back, his only hope of hitting something that stayed on the brick-hard green. My first thought was a soft 9 iron. He felt the wind shift and decided to hammer the 9-iron, and settled 4 feet for birdie.

Scheffler ended the birdie-birdie-birdie finish with an approach to six feet on the 18th.

Now the Masters champion is on a few more titles that could be enough to bring him back to No. 1 in the world.

“It should be more fun,” he said. “That’s what’s exciting about our new schedule. I think we’ll have more of this stuff. I’m sure Viktor wants to beat me this year and I want to do the same. There’s a lot of talent. But I’m not going to focus too much on other people unless I’m going to come in tomorrow.”

Jon Rahm found himself in danger of losing the top spot in the rankings, opening with a 65 before following up with two straight 76s after making five straight bogeys in the third round.

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