The leaders at the Arnold Palmer Invitational can be happy that Tyrrell Hatton opened with a 77 on Thursday — otherwise he just might have been leading the pack heading into Sunday’s final round at Bay Hill.
After that Thursday fiasco, the defending champion bounced back in a big way on Friday with a 67. But he was even better on moving day and his six-under par 66 jumped him all the way up to a tie for 11th and at six-under, he’s just five back of leader Lee Westwood, a fellow Brit.
Hatton said he doesn’t expect to win, but he can’t complain about the rally.
“The beer certainly tasted better,” said Hatton, who said he enjoyed a few IPAs and some red wine on Friday night. “Obviously, you always sort of feel good going home when you’ve had a good finish to get through to the weekend. No one likes missing cuts, although we’re all going to miss cuts throughout your career, it’s just part of what we do. Yeah, so always good to finish strong and make the weekend. Thursday was a little bit of a low blow to start that way. But happy with how I’ve responded since.”
Justin Rose Makes A Nine, Then Leaves Spieth On His Own:
Justin Rose was paired with Jordan Spieth for Saturday’s third round. He saw Jordy’s birdie at the first and that ace on the second. Rose opened with a pair of pars.
Spieth led off on the third and duck-hooked his tee shot into the water. Rose then followed him. Spieth got his third on the green and holed the 32-footer for an incredible par save. Rose wasn’t as fortunate. For his third, he hooked another ball into the water. Two wasn’t enough, he made it a full sleeve of balls with a third into the water. By time he holed out, he put a quadruple-bogey nine on his scorecard then suddenly developed a pain in his back.
Rose took off his cap and handed Spieth his scorecard. He then left, withdrawing from the tournament.
Evidently the nine was too much for him to take.
Another Rough Round For Rickie Fowler:
Rickie Fowler barely made the 36-hole cut after rounds of 76-70. On Saturday he got off to another bad start and wound up with yet another poor round.
Fowler made three bogeys on the front nine at Bay Hill and couldn’t muster up a single birdie. Coming home, he did manage to birdie the short 16 (par five) but by the time he finished, another 76 went on the card and Rickie was tied for dead-last — 71st with Doc Redman.
