Viktor Hovland playing cards 2nd-round 66 at Arnold Palmer Invitational, leads by 2 as Rory McIlroy falters late

ORLANDO, Fla. — Viktor Hovland had the bottom spherical of the day with a 6-under 66 and is off to a different nice begin on the Arnold Palmer Invitational. This time, he has a good suggestion what to anticipate on the weekend at Bay Hill.

Rory McIlroy bought a sneak preview.

Hovland performed Friday morning and set the goal on a heat day with rising wind, making seven birdies and some key pars saves late within the second spherical. He posted a 9-under 135.

McIlroy performed within the afternoon and was poised to catch him till his putter let him down on greens that had been getting crisp and slippery. Tied for the lead, McIlroy missed a 4-foot par putt, putts from eight toes on the subsequent two holes for birdie and par, and he completed off his 72 by lacking a great birdie probability from 15 toes.

He was two behind together with previous Bay Hill winner Tyrrell Hatton (68) and Talor Gooch (68), who received his first PGA Tour title within the last official occasion final yr.

Hovland was two pictures out of the lead going into the weekend final yr when he closed with rounds of 77-78 and wound up 15 pictures behind.

“I sort of attempt to overlook the weekend right here final yr,” he mentioned. “I performed rather well the primary few days, similar to how I performed up to now this yr. The course simply will get more durable and more durable each single day, and it began blowing. A couple of too many unhealthy swings and I ended up in unhealthy spots and simply did not actually take my medication.”

McIlroy opened with a 65 in barely softer circumstances Thursday morning and it did not take lengthy for him to appreciate how a lot the course had modified. He bogeyed the opening gap and did properly to battle again with three birdies.

After which it was a weight-reduction plan of pars till these dried up. He was seven pictures worse, and mentioned it did not really feel that manner.

“These are the type of greens you anticipate to see late on a Sunday, not late on a Friday,” McIlroy mentioned. “It should be fascinating to see the place they go from right here, however it will be a great check over the weekend. I am glad I bought 18 holes in these circumstances as a result of the course positively modified loads from once I performed it yesterday morning to this afternoon.

“I will be somewhat extra ready for it tomorrow.”

As for Hatton, he wasn’t positive what to assume besides that he putted properly. That a lot was evident from his 22 putts. He received two years in the past – the final PGA Tour occasion earlier than the COVID-19 pandemic shut down golf for 3 months – and does have a great really feel for the greens. That is about the one a part of his sport that felt proper.

“I am not notably proud of how I hit the golf ball the previous couple of days,” Hatton mentioned. “I believe the rating is fairly flattering. I’ve putted actually good, which is why I’ve bought the rating that I’ve, however I do know that I am unable to hold hitting it that badly definitely with it will be taking part in a lot harder this weekend.

“Hopefully, I can discover a golf swing, and hopefully the putt stays up this weekend.”

Gooch did not drop a shot till his last gap. Nonetheless, it was a stout efficiency contemplating he performed within the afternoon. His spherical included a 40-foot eagle putt down the slope on the par-5 16th, and he was hardly ever out of place till going from thick tough proper of the ninth fairway to the entrance bunker, leaving himself practically 40 yards from the again pin.

Bay Hill was such a check that Jon Rahm nonetheless could not discover his groove with the putter and was one shot outdoors the highest 10. He had a 70 and was amongst these seven behind.

The reduce was at 3-over 147, the sixth straight yr it was over par.

Patrick Reed missed it by one shot, his third straight event lacking the reduce. That hasn’t occurred to Reed since 2017. Seven gamers shot 80 or greater.

Hovland had no such considerations, and he was notably good on the again 9 when he ran in a 25-foot birdie putt on the 15th, two-putted for birdie on the 16th after which smashed a 5-iron from 230 yards to 10 toes on the par-3 17th for a 3rd straight birdie.

McIlroy, who had 30 putts, was advised that Hovland wanted solely 23 putts and Hatton solely 22. He had the identical response to each questions, figuring out all of them could be taking part in late.

“See how he does tomorrow.”