Viktor Hovland, watching on television with feet up, was at least served a reminder of the grisly nature of Bay Hill’s closing stretch as shadows lengthen. A year ago, Hovland tied third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after 36 holes. By Sunday night, he shared 49th.
Rory McIlroy had clung on manfully to a nine-under-par aggregate, matching Hovland, before a missed putt from under 3ft at the 15th. Then McIlroy’s iron into the par-three 17th bounded into thick rough behind the green, that preceded another bogey. McIlroy’s 72 was far from disastrous in the context of firm, crusty putting surfaces but he had slipped from a share of the lead to tying second with Tyrrell Hatton and Talor Gooch. Billy Horschel, who is six under, lurks with typically menacing intent.
“It gets really difficult out there,” said McIlroy. “I’m glad I saw the course in this condition because that should help me over the weekend.”
Hovland’s morning 66 was remarkable for the inclusion of just 23 putts. The jaunty Norwegian is seeking a fifth victory since November; that should be good enough to propel him to No 2 in the world. “I try to forget the weekend here last year,” Hovland said. “I played really well the first few days, very similar to how I have played so far this year. The course just gets harder and harder every single day, and it started blowing. I made a few too many bad swings, ended up in bad spots and just didn’t really take my medicine.”
Hatton won here in 2020, in what was the last full event before the PGA Tour endured a pandemic-enforced shutdown. Hatton’s prominence – he added a 68 to Thursday’s 69 – would therefore be notable but for the Englishman’s grim prognosis of the state of his game.
“I’m not particularly happy with how I have hit the golf ball over the last few days,” Hatton said. “I think the score is pretty flattering. I’ve putted really well, which is why I’ve got the score that I have, but I know that I can’t keep hitting it that badly, certainly given it’s going to be playing much tougher this weekend. I’m pretty happy with the position I’m in going into the weekend. I’m just hoping that I can play a lot better.”
Those to depart at the halfway point included Patrick Reed, Henrik Stenson and Justin Rose. Ian Poulter did survive for the weekend but will be hugely frustrated that he played his second nine in four-over-par 40. Until then, the Englishman had been firmly in contention at minus five.
As the second round in Orlando rumbled towards its conclusion, it was confirmed Phil Mickelson will be a notable absentee from next week’s Players Championship.
Mickelson is taking a break from the game after being embroiled in a scandal relating to comments made about a Saudi Arabian-backed breakaway league. Mickelson has missed the PGA Tour’s marquee event just two other times since 1992; once because of a broken leg and once due to the birth of his daughter.