The defending champion shot 66 on a tough Bay Hill course. He trails the leader, Matt Fitzpatrick by a stroke entering the final round.
ORLANDO, Fla. — Matt Fitzpatrick managed to avoid bogeys on a Bay Hill course so firm he could barely find any pitch marks on the greens Saturday. It led to a five-under-par 67 and a one-shot lead over Rory McIlroy going into the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
McIlroy, who has not successfully defended any of his 22 wins worldwide, birdied three of his last four holes for a 66. He will be in the final group for the third time in five events this year.
Fitzpatrick was at nine-under 207, which spoke to the difficulty of a fast course that would have made Palmer proud. It was the highest 54-hole score to lead at Bay Hill since Ben Crenshaw was at 210 in 1993.
That would have surprised no one who had to play it, especially late in the warm afternoon.
Fitzpatrick, a five-time winner on the European Tour over the last four years.
