Viktor Hovland, watching on television with feet up, was at least served a reminder of the grisly nature of Bay Hill’s closing stretch as shadows lengthen. A year ago, Hovland tied third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after 36 holes. By Sunday night, he shared 49th.
Rory McIlroy had clung on manfully to a nine-under-par aggregate, matching Hovland, before a missed putt from under 3ft at the 15th. Then McIlroy’s iron into the par-three 17th bounded into thick rough behind the green, that preceded another bogey. McIlroy’s 72 was far from disastrous in the context of firm, crusty putting surfaces but he had slipped from a share of the lead to tying second with Tyrrell Hatton and Talor Gooch. Billy Horschel, who is six under, lurks with typically menacing intent.
