Daniel Berger Leads at Bay Hill After Rory McIlroy Withdraws

Daniel Berger remained the leader at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after Rory McIlroy withdrew, leaving Berger poised to carry a slim advantage into the final round. Sunday at 11: 30 a. m. ET the third round was completed and daniel berger stayed on 13 under par, with Akshay Bhatia one shot adrift heading into the final day.

Daniel Berger Holds 13-Under Lead After Third Round

Berger completed his third round on Sunday with a 72, finishing the session on 13 under par. Play at Bay Hill in Orlando had been suspended on Saturday because of darkness, forcing the leaders to return and complete the third round on Sunday. Berger had been two shots clear earlier, but the suspension left the leaderboard tighter by the time play finished.

Akshay Bhatia Closes Gap With Birdie on 18

Akshay Bhatia claimed a birdie on the 18th to post a four-under 68 in the third round and move to within one shot of the lead. Bhatia’s late birdie erased much of the cushion Berger held earlier in the day, setting up a one-shot margin into the final round. Austria’s Sepp Straka and Americans Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa were all in the clubhouse at nine under, sharing third place and ensuring multiple contenders for the title.

Rory McIlroy Withdraws With Lower-Back Spasms, PGA Tour Announces

Rory McIlroy was forced to withdraw on Saturday after suffering spasms in his lower back before starting his round; the PGA Tour announced his exit about 30 minutes before his tee time. McIlroy had been nine shots back in a share of ninth place before the third round and had moved to four under on Friday with a round of 68 after shooting level par on Thursday. In a later statement McIlroy said: “While warming up in the gym this morning, I felt a small twinge in my back. As I started hitting balls on the range before the round, it worsened and developed into muscle spasms in my lower back. Unfortunately, I’m not able to continue and have to withdraw. “

McIlroy’s withdrawal is only the second time he has pulled out of a PGA Tour event mid-competition; his first mid-tournament withdrawal came at the Cognizant Classic at the Palm Beaches in 2013. His exit left the title fight at Bay Hill concentrated among Berger, Bhatia and the group at nine under.

For Berger, the final day offers a chance to convert a lead into a significant victory; daniel berger’s position at 13 under puts him a stroke clear of the nearest challenger and in control of the outcome heading to the last 18 holes. The leaderboard remains compact enough that a single swing in momentum could decide the champion at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The final round is scheduled for Sunday at 11: 30 a. m. ET; the winner will be decided when play concludes that afternoon. McIlroy is due to defend his titles at the Players Championship next week and the Masters at Augusta from 9-12 April.