Kitayama handles windy day for lead
Kurt Kitayama is chasing his first PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Fla., with a world-class group of contenders right behind him.
Kitayama should be used to that.
Last year alone, he fell one shot sort of Jon Rahm in Mexico, Xander Schauffele in Scotland and Rory McIlroy in South Carolina.
Kitayama handled the wind that only made Bay Hill tougher, posting a 4-under 68 for a two-shot lead over Jordan Spieth, a three-time major champion and former No. 1 player in the world.
“Right now I feel like I’m just trying to get that win,” Kitayama said. “It’s tough, especially with the guys I’ve been against. So I’ve just got to keep putting myself in that position to give myself a chance.”
Rahm finally looked human. His final five holes included a double bogey, three bogeys and a birdie. He shot 76, his highest score since a 76 in the third round of the PGA Championship last May, and fell six shots behind.
“How would I characterize it? What do you think I’m going to say? Excuse my language, but it’s (expletive) hard,” Rahm said.
He was smiling as he spoke, happy to be done and resigned that a tough day at the office would not belong only to him in these conditions.
“It’s firm. It’s fast. And it’s blowing 30 miles an hour,” he said. “It’s a very difficult golf course.”
Kitayama was at 9-under 135, and the immediate challenge is Spieth, who tied for fourth in his lone appearance at Bay Hill.
Cameron Young looked to be right there until the final four holes. He was one shot behind until a pair of bogeys and then a shot from the thick rough into the water on the 18th for a double bogey and a 73. He was five behind.
Schauffele shot 70 and was three behind along with Corey Conners, who had the low round of the day at 66.
PGA Tour
Carson Young, a 28-yearold rookie on the PGA Tour, had to lean more on his short game and posted a 5-under 67 and built a four-shot lead going into the weekend at the Puerto Rico Open.
Another tour rookie, Nico Echavarria of Colombia, had a 67 and was four shots back along with Paul Haley II (66).
LPGA
Danielle Kang avoided distractions during a rainsoaked day and shot a 9-under 63 for a one-shot lead after the second round of the Women’s World Championship in Singapore.
Kang opened with a 71 for a 10-under 134 total after two rounds.
Allisen Corpuz (65), Hyo Joo Kim (67) and firstround leader Elizabeth Szokol (71) were a shot back at the Sentosa Golf Club. Szokol opened on Thursday with a 64.