…. Fatiha Betscher, Orlando, FL
Former World No. 1 Henrik Stenson posted a second straight 66 to move two shots clear of the field on day three of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in suburban Orlando.
The Swede capped his round in holing a 20-foot eagle putt on the par five 15th hole to edge clear of American Morgan Hoffmann who struggled in posting a round of 71 for a 14-under par tally on the Bay Hill course.
Stenson lives less than 30 minutes from the course as he now seeks to win in the States for a first time since capturing the 2013 Tour Championship and just weeks after also sealing victory in the Deustche Bank Championship.
Henrik Stenson moves two shots clear of the field on day three 2015 Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo – www.pgatour.com)
And it was the same year he ended the season as both PGA Tour No. 1 and European Tour No. 1 after also sealing victory in the DP World Tour Championship in Dubai.
“It’s a new day tomorrow, so whatever has happened these first three days has put me in a nice position,” Stenson said. “But it’s got to be done all over tomorrow.”
However while Stenson looks to also win for a first time in 2015 he needs no reminding there is just six players lying within three shots of the leads in the $US 6.3m event including defending champion Matt Every.
McIlroy had move to within a shot of the lead with his fourth birdie of the round on the 13th hole but he ran off three straight bogeys, missing a par putt from just inside 3 feet on No. 15 and chopping up the par-5 16th hole. McIlroy effectively gave up two shots to the field on the 16th, where only one other player failed to make par or better.
McIlroy missed the cut in The Honda Classic and finished eight shots behind at Doral. Asked if Bay Hill counted as being in contention, he replied, “Not anymore.”
“I guess if I can get off to the fast start tomorrow … maybe I will have a chance,” he said. “It would have been nicer to be a little closer to the lead going into tomorrow.”
A two-shot lead can disappear quickly, especially on the back nine. Even so, Stenson has been steady during his three stops on the Florida swing. He tied for fourth at Doral, and missed the three-man playoff at Innisbrook by one shot last week.
Hoffmann regained the lead with back-to-back birdies early on the back nine, but his tee shot rolled up to the lip of a bunker on par-5 16th and he was one of only two players in the third round who had to lay up short of the creek. Hoffmann had to settle for pars, though he was still in the final group with Stenson.
Every shot a third round 69 to be lying in a group at 13-under 203 that included fellow American Jason Kokrak (65), reigning Shell Houston Open champ Matt Jones of Australia (67) and Las Vegas winner Ben Martin (68).
In fact, Jones birdied his last four holes, including sinking a monster 75-foot putt at the par-3 17th.
American Sean O’Hair, who lost out in a play-off for the Valspar Championship last week at Innisbrook in Tampa Bay, shot a 68 and was five shots behind.
In the group six shots back from very talented Thai-born Kirradech Aphibarnrat who matched the low score of the third round with a 65.
