ORLANDO, Fla. — Daniel Berger had 9 birdies at Bay Hill, all however one inside 10 toes, for a 9-under 63. Thursday’s Arnold Palmer Invitational turned out to be a spherical nobody anticipated.
Berger had a bogey-free spherical within the morning and by the top of the day had a three-shot lead, incomes him a rating practically 9 strokes higher than the common of the 72 individuals, as solely 32 gamers broke par.
Final 12 months’s runner-up Collin Morikawa stayed in the midst of the pack till he hit a 66 with an eagle, birdie, and birdie.
Additionally hitting a 66 was Ludwig Oberg, who was three strokes higher than the late gamers within the afternoon spherical when the wind began to choose up and swirl. After beginning the again 9 with back-to-back bogeys, he hit a 5-iron to 25 toes for eagle on the par-5 twelfth gap.
Scottie Scheffler performed within the morning and shot 70, making his first opening spherical below par because the first event of the 12 months. Rory McIlroy’s play slowed, and he fell behind with a double bogey on the thirteenth when his shot hit a rock and into the water, adopted by a bogey on the 18th with a 72.
“It has a U.S. Open-like ambiance,” Berger stated of Bay Hill. “Because the week goes on, I feel the course goes to get harder and the greens are going to get tougher. … So simply attempt to hit the fairways and make as many putts as you’ll be able to.”
Cameron Younger had seven birdies in a spherical of 67. He additionally performed within the morning. One stroke behind was a gaggle that included Adam Scott and Xander Schauffele.
“You will get away with a shot within the first spherical as a result of you may get outscored,” Scott stated. “So should you had been 5 over at the moment, that was a very long time in the past. It is arduous to take a look at it, particularly while you had been 9 below.”
Cognizant Traditional winner Nico Echavarria got here out with a 30 and seemed like he would possibly catch Berger, however the Colombian made a triple bogey on the twelfth gap and completed with a 42.
Justin Thomas had 79 factors. It was a impolite welcome after 5 months away recovering from again surgical procedure. He missed the green on the par-4 eleventh and missed a 3-foot putt for double bogey, and on the sixteenth his wedge from 81 yards went right into a creek for double bogey.
“It was sort of arduous to say I am glad to be again,” Thomas stated. “Yeah, clearly not what I anticipated. However sadly the rust half was just a little completely different than what I anticipated.”
The Related Press contributed to this report.
