Drama Aplenty At Arnie’s Event – Spieth Ace, Hatton 66, Perez’s ’11’, Rose Withdraws After A ‘9’ & DeChambeau’s 370-Yard Rocket.

3 years ago by Comments Off on Drama Aplenty At Arnie’s Event – Spieth Ace, Hatton 66, Perez’s ’11’, Rose Withdraws After A ‘9’ & DeChambeau’s 370-Yard Rocket.

There was drama aplenty early on day three of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

First there was defending champion, Tyrrell Hatton posting a sizzling 66 to move into the early clubhouse lead in a round that included six birdies and a 16th hole eagle ‘3’.

Three-time Major winning Jordan Spieth, and slowly returning to the form that won him the 2017 Open Championship, had birdied the first and then sensationally aced the second.

Spieth’s long-time caddy, Michael Greller was seemingly dumbstruck that, and out of habit, handed Spieth his putter.

However, Spieth’s glory lasted just a few minutes as he put his tee-shot into the third but brilliantly saved par, and after taking a penalty shot, in holing a 31-footer.

 

The effort saw Spieth replace Scotland’s Martin Laird in second place and one adrift of overnight leader, Florida-based Canadian Corey Conners.

In mentioning Laird, he and fellow Scot MacIntyre plus Dundee-based Frenchmen Victor Perez were left reeling early on day three.

Laird, and just a shot off the lead, could not have wished for a worse start driving OOB off the opening tee in taking a double-bogey ‘6’ and dropping six places as he seeks to win Arnie’s event for a second time.   The Denver-based Laird got one shot back with a seven-foot birdie at the second.

Top-ranked Scot MacIntyre just avoided Laird’s fate at the first but was still so far left he was forced to chip out sideways ahead of three-putting for a triple-bogey ‘7’.

Perez, and the reigning Alfred Dunhill Links champ, sent three balls into the water at the par-5 sixth hole on route to taking an ‘11’ that sent the 28-year-old to the bottom of the board in the remaining 71-player field.

It was also Bay Hill water torture for former US Open winner, Justin Rose who also put three balls into the water in taking a ‘9’ at the par-5 third hole.

Rose had clearly hurt his lower back as he left the course after putting out and leaving playing partner, Jordan Spieth on his lonesome.

Justin Rose in obvious pain in making his way under a spectator rope at the back of the sixth hole.

“Disappointing to have to WD. It’s been an exciting week,” said Rose.

“Playing, obviously, back in front of fans and, obviously, quite a visible WD, playing with Jordan out there, who got off to a great start. But, yeah, just kind of woke up with a bit in a sort of spasmmed lower back today and tried to kind of get through it.

“My warm-up was hard work and I just couldn’t stay down in a shot. I missed basically every golf shot left to start the day. Even my little chip into the 4th hole out of the rough from the left-hand side was creating pain.

“And just kind of, with the eye on next week and what have you, I just felt like it was a prudent call, just to call it at that point. But I felt bad with Jordan having momentum to sort of change, change the vibe of the group”.

Then there was DeChambeau celebrating as though he had won the tournament in launching a 370-yard rocket off the sixth tee that easily cleared the water to land in the rough but only 70-yards from the green.   DeChambeau left his second shot short of the green before he chipped and putted-out from just a foot for a birdie.

Bryson DeChambeau shows his delight after a 370-yard new record drive at the sixth hole

DeChambeau’s was a new longest drive at the hole and moments before Rory McIlroy, and playing in the group behind, launched his own missile measured at 371-yards that found the edge of the fairway.

McIlroy also walked off with a birdie.

Hatton, who had birdied four of his closing five holes on Friday to make the cut by a shot, said: “I was just thankful to actually have a chance to go out and give myself a chance at playing well this weekend.

“And to shoot 66 today is great.”



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