API R3: Scottie Scheffler storms home to set up chance to match Tiger Woods feat
Kurt Kitayama remains out in front at Bay Hill, but a host of star names including Scottie Scheffler, Viktor Hovland and Rory McIlroy are queuing up behind.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler birdied five of the last seven holes to move just one shot behind 54-hole leader Kurt Kitayama heading into the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Scheffler finished with three consecutive birdies to card a round of 68 and move to 8-under par in a tie for second alongside Hovland, who posted a superb 66 earlier in the day.
Three straight birdies to end his round has Scottie Scheffler tied for the lead at 8-under @APInv pic.twitter.com/hXypcwrsfb
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) March 4, 2023
Should Scheffler go on to defend the title on Sunday, he would become the first player to do so since Matt Every in 2015, and he would also become the first player since Tiger Woods in 2007 to defend multiple titles in one PGA Tour season.
Scheffler of course recently defended the WM Phoenix Open last month.
Hovland is looking to win for the first time on the PGA Tour since November 2021 when winning at Mayakoba.
But the man out in front remains Kitayama, who despite not having his best stuff out there, especially on the front nine, recovered well with two birdies on the final three holes to card a 72 and keep his nose out in front on 9-under par.
Kitayama is attempting to win for the very first time on the PGA Tour, but he does have two wins on the DP World Tour.
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But it's far from a three-horse race for the title with course specialist Tyrrell Hatton firmly in the mix after matching Hovland's round of 66.
England's Hatton, who won his maiden PGA Tour title here in 2020, finds himself just two shots off the pace on 7-under par.
Rory McIlroy is also in the mix after a 68 and the Ulsterman looks on from just three shots behind at 6-under par alongside Harris English (69).
Justin Thomas (72) and Jordan Spieth (74) are a further shot back on 5-under par alongside Pierceson Coody, who carded a brilliant 66.
Elsewhere, World No.1 Jon Rahm had another day to forget with a consecutive round of 76 to unthinkably fall back to 1-over par.
Rahm had raced into the early lead on Thursday with a 65 but it's all been downhill for him since then.
Arnold Palmer Invitational R3 Leaderboard
-9 K Kitayama (US)
-8 S Scheffler (US), V Hovland (Nor)
-7 T Hatton (Eng)
-6 R McIlroy (NI), H English (US)
-5 P Coody (US), J Thomas, J Spieth (US)
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