Kitayama holds onto Bay Hill lead
ORLANDO, Fla. — Kurt Kitayama steadied himself down the stretch Saturday at Bay Hill, closing with two birdies over the last three holes to escape with an even-par 72 and a one-shot lead in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Now comes the hard part for Kitayama, a 30-year-old Californian going after his first PGA Tour victory.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler had five birdies over his last seven holes in warm gusts that made Bay Hill tough as ever. He finished with a 68 and was one shot behind, along with Viktor Hovland of Norway (66).
Hovland finished runner-up to Scheffler a year ago at Bay Hill.
The rest of the contenders are what was to be expected with a $20 million event and every PGA Tour member from the top 50 in the world.
Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Max Homa all were within range of Kitayama if he were to lose ground or if Bay Hill was baked and brittle as it typically is for the final round.
For now, Kitayama held his own.
“Just proud of the way I fought,” he said.
His two-shot lead was gone when he sent his drive well to the right and out-of-bounds on the par-5 fourth hole, and he went out in 39 as Hovland planted himself at the top and McIlroy made his move with a remarkable bogey-free round of 68.
PGA:
PGA Tour rookie Nico Echavarria of Colombia ran off four straight birdies early in his round and finished with a 7-under 65 for a two-shot lead in the
Puerto Rico Open as he goes for his first PGA Tour victory. Carson Young, who led the opening two rounds at Grand Reserve, had to birdie the last hole for a 71 and was Echavarria's closest pursuer. LPGA: Defending champion Jin Young Ko shot a second consecutive 7-under 65 to take a two-stroke lead over Nelly Korda into the final round of the LPGA's Women's World Championship. Ko had a 54-hole total of 14-under 202 after another weather-delayed day at Sentosa Golf Club. She birdied four of her first five holes and two of her last three. Americans held the other leading positions. Korda shot 68 and was in second place, followed by first-round leader Elizabeth Szokol, who had a 70 and was three behind Ko.