Daniel Berger holds one-shot lead after McIlroy withdraws as Bhatia closes gap

Daniel Berger maintained a one-stroke lead at 13 under as the Arnold Palmer Invitational moved toward its final round, with Rory McIlroy withdrawing and Akshay Bhatia trimming the margin. As of Sunday at 9: 42 a. m. ET, daniel berger topped the Bay Hill board by a shot.

Bhatia’s 68 cuts Daniel Berger’s lead to one at 13 under

Completion of the third round spilled into Sunday after play at Bay Hill in Orlando was suspended on Saturday because of darkness, leaving the final push for the title to follow. Akshay Bhatia carded a four-under 68, including a birdie at the 18th, to reach 12 under and narrow the gap to one.

The overnight leader came back to the pack with a 72, yet Berger still holds the outright edge at 13 under heading into the closing stretch. Behind them, Sepp Straka, Cameron Young, and Collin Morikawa are tied for third at nine under, three shots adrift of Bhatia and four behind Berger.

A tightly packed group remains in touch: Min Woo Lee sits at eight under, with Chris Gotterup and Ludvig Åberg at seven under. Further back, Harry Hall, Russell Henley, and Rickie Fowler are six under, while Viktor Hovland and Jordan Spieth are five under as the field prepares for the decisive round.

Rory McIlroy’s withdrawal at Bay Hill after back spasms

Rory McIlroy withdrew roughly 30 minutes before his third-round tee time after experiencing lower-back spasms, ending his week while he was nine shots off the lead in a share of ninth at four under. He had climbed into contention Friday with a 68 after opening with an even-par round on Thursday.

, the five-time major winner said a twinge in the gym worsened on the range and developed into spasms that prevented him from continuing. It marks only the second time McIlroy has withdrawn mid-competition from a PGA event, the previous instance coming in 2013 at the Cognizant Classic at the Palm Beaches.

McIlroy, who is scheduled to defend his titles at the Players Championship next week and the Masters from April 9–12, won last year’s Masters in a playoff over Justin Rose to complete the career Grand Slam. His early-week position at four under had left him nine behind daniel berger after Friday’s second round.

Shane Lowry misses Bay Hill cut by one after 73

Shane Lowry’s late stumble cost him a weekend tee time by a single stroke after a second-round 73. He stood one inside the two-over cut line after a front nine that included eight pars and a birdie, but a double-bogey six at the 11th—after finding water with his approach—pushed him back.

Lowry briefly revived his chances by chipping in from 30 yards for eagle at the 12th, only to give the shots back with consecutive bogeys at the 14th and 15th. A two-putt birdie at the 16th and a gritty up-and-down par from the sand at the 17th nudged him back toward safety at the line.

At the 18th, with 156 yards from the center of the fairway, his approach was held up by the breeze and finished just short in the penalty area, resting on dry land but behind rocks. He advanced his third to 35 feet, then ran the par putt seven feet past before settling for bogey—and missing the cut by one.

Earlier in the week, Berger had built a five-shot cushion by adding a 68 to an opening 63 to reach 13 under, with Bhatia then five adrift after a 66. That margin has since shrunk to a single stroke as the tournament moves toward its conclusion at Bay Hill.

The final round will be played Sunday in Orlando (ET). Updated tee times were not announced as of 9: 42 a. m. ET, with the schedule expected once third-round play and preparations conclude later in the day.