An afternoon that started with international No. 1 Jon Rahm in control of the lead ends with Kurt Kitayama atop the leaderboard on the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational. With Rahm shedding from 7 below to three below within the span of a hour, the sphere used to be given new existence after the most up to date participant on the planet will have graciously opened the door for any individual else to win a golfing event.
Kitayama used to be the person as much as the duty within the early hours on Friday, signing for a second-round 68 to succeed in 9 below for the event. This quantity would grasp secure for the rest of the day in spite of the forecasted robust winds laying down past due within the afternoon.
During this time, Jordan Spieth made a price to 7 below to place himself at once at the back of Kitayama. While he’s Kitayama’s closest festival, that is simply one of the crucial many giant names inside of arm’s achieve; becoming a member of them are U.S. Presidents Cup teammates Xander Schauffele, Patrick Cantlay, Justin Thomas, Cameron Young and Scottie Scheffler at the first web page of the leaderboard.
The chief
1. Kurt Kitayama (-9)
This time closing yr, Kitayama used to be ranked outdoor the highest 250 within the Official World Golf Rankings. Securely within the best 50 to start out the week, the 30-year-old continues to position himself in place for his first PGA Tour victory. Kitayama has proven flashes of brilliance however handiest to be outdone by way of one of the crucial sport’s elites. Collecting 3 runner-up finishes in his closing 23 begins, Kitayama fell quick to Rahm on the Mexico Open, Schauffele on the Scottish Open and Rory McIlroy at The CJ Cup in South Carolina. If he isn’t cautious, a kind of names may upend him as soon as once more.
“I think I’ve put myself in good spots. Right now I feel like I’m just trying to get that win is, you know, it’s tough, especially with the guys I’ve been against,” mentioned Kitayama. “So just got to keep putting myself in that position to give myself a chance … You get a couple good breaks and it’s your tournament, really. So I just got to try to be right up there until the end.”
Other contenders
2. Jordan Spieth (-7)
T3. Xander Schauffele, Corey Conners (-6)
T5. Patrick Cantlay, Davis Riley, Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Thomas (-5)
T9. Cameron Young, Ludvig Aberg (a), Scottie Scheffler, Adam Scott (-4)
The major sticking level of this workforce is the presence of those that are most often absent from the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Before this week, Schauffele, Spieth, Thomas and Cantlay had blended for 3 event appearances. With the designated standing of this yr’s tournament, the arena’s very best are proving their video games will go back and forth regardless of the route.
Rahm is human finally
The international No. 1 rode a sizzling end to a first-round lead however the turntables turned on Friday. Lowlighted by way of a double-bogey at the par-5 sixth, Rahm performed his ultimate 5 holes in 4 over and went from main this event to wanting to play catch up over the weekend. With his around of 4-over 76 — his worst rating because the 2022 PGA Championship — he stands at 3 below and 6 strokes at the back of Kitayama.
“Excuse my language, but it’s f—– hard,” Rahm mentioned with amusing. “It’s firm, it’s fast and it’s blowing 30 miles an hour. It’s a very difficult golf course. For most of the day I managed it. It’s just the last five holes, even though I didn’t feel like I was making bad swings, I just couldn’t quite get it going and finished poorly the last stretch.”
Big day for a special No. 1
The international No. 1 within the skilled ranks might not be within the best 10, however the No. 2 novice on the planet is. Ludvig Aberg of Texas Tech fired back-to-back rounds of 70 to climb right into a percentage of tenth position on the midway level. Aberg lately assessments in at No. 1 within the PGA Tour U Standings, which is of substantial significance because the best participant after the of completion of the NCAA Championship will earn standing at the PGA Tour.
“I think we’ve been talking about it and I think that the more of these events you play, the easier it’s going to get,” mentioned Aberg. “It gives me a lot of knowledge about myself. Because obviously it exposes your game a lot more than a regular event does. We’re playing greens that are rolling very fast. Then you got wind and you got a tough golf course. So it teaches you more about your game. I just try to enjoy it, try to embrace it and take in as much as I can.”
2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational up to date odds and choices
Odds by way of Caesars Sportsbook
- Xander Schauffele (6-1)
- Jordan Spieth (13/2)
- Kurt Kitayama (17/2)
- Scottie Scheffler (9-1)
- Patrick Cantlay (9-1)
- Justin Thomas (11-1)
- Jon Rahm (11-1)
- Corey Conners (14-1)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (14-1)
- Rory McIlroy (22-1)
- Cameron Young (25-1)
- Max Homa (28-1)
Last yr, Scheffler entered the weekend 8 strokes off the tempo and persevered the historical past of Bay Hill catering to chasers. The best of this yr’s leaderboard is significantly more potent with the likes of Spieth, Thomas, Schauffele and extra, however there would possibly nonetheless be a crack by which to go into. It must be large sufficient for a couple of fascinating outsiders: Cameron Young at 25-1 and Max Homa at 28-1.
Young used to be 8 below via 14 holes on Friday sooner than completing with two bogeys and a double. He’s using the ball terrifically and giving himself appears to be like. Homa is in the similar boat, albeit one stroke additional again at 3 below. Homa ranks within the best 10 in each strokes-gained off the tee and strokes-gained means, and he must make his method up the leaderboard if his short-game woes subside.