ORLANDO, Fla 05 Mar (Online) Kurt Kitayama had to leave home to find his way in golf by playing circuits in Europe, Australia and Asia, all for a chance to get to the highest level. Along with three worldwide titles, he learned how to battle.<\/p>\n
That might come in handy Sunday at Bay Hill.<\/p>\n
Without a birdie on the front nine and no longer in the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Kitayama fought back with a 25-foot birdie to start the back nine and two birdies over the final three holes Saturday for an even-par 72.<\/p>\n
A 15-foot birdie putt on the final hole gave him a one-shot lead over defending champion Scottie Scheffler and Viktor Hovland of Norway.<\/p>\n
\u201cJust proud of the way I fought,\u201d Kitayama said. \u201cThere\u2019s no giving up. It\u2019s just kind of in my nature. Even when it\u2019s going bad, you can\u2019t just like pack it in. You fight for every shot.\u201d<\/p>\n
Now comes the hard part for Kitayama, a 30-year-old Californian going after his first PGA Tour victory.<\/p>\n
Scheffler had five birdies over his last seven holes in warm gusts that made Bay Hill tough as ever. He finished with a 68 and was one shot behind. Hovland holed a bunker shot for one of his six birdies in a bogey-free round of 66.<\/p>\n
Hovland finished runner-up to Scheffler a year ago at Bay Hill.
\nThe rest of the contenders are what was to be expected with a $20 million event and every PGA Tour member from the top 50 in the world.<\/p>\n
Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and Max Homa all were within range of Kitayama if he were to lose ground or if Bay Hill was baked and brittle as it typically is for the final round.<\/p>\n
For now, Kitayama held his own, even if it looked as though he could crater.<\/p>\n
His two-shot lead was gone when one loose swing sent his drive well to the right and out-of-bounds on the par-5 fourth hole, leading to double bogey. <\/p>\n
He went out in 39 as Hovland planted himself at the top and McIlroy made his move with a remarkable bogey-free round of 68.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think any time you can go bogey-free on the weekend at Bay Hill you\u2019re doing something right,\u201d McIlroy said. \u201cI got myself right into the tournament, into the thick of things for tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Kitayama bounced back with four birdies on the back nine, and that final putt put him at 9-under 207. Tyrrell Hatton (66) was two behind, while McIlroy and Harris English (69) were another shot back.<\/p>\n
\u201cStarted off fairly solid first three holes and then one loose swing and I\u2019m 2 over,\u201d Kitayama said. \u201cThen got some uncomfortable shots coming in on that front nine. It\u2019s just tough. But making that birdie, that putt on 10, that helped calm things down.\u201d<\/p>\n
There was plenty of evidence of trouble at Bay Hill, as always.
\nCorey Conners of Canada was among four players who had at least a share of the lead at one point Saturday, only to shoot 40 on the back nine for a 75.<\/p>\n
Spieth opened bogey-bogey playing in the final group with Kitayama. He still was within two shots of the lead but then went the final 12 holes with no birdies and one bogey for a 74. Thomas played bogey-free until missing a 4-foot par putt on the last hole for a 72.<\/p>\n
Homa was 4 under through his opening four holes, only to drop four shots the rest of the way until a birdie on the 16th for a 71. He was five behind, along with Cameron Young (72).<\/p>\n
Still, this final round could be wide open.<\/p>\n
Kitayama finished one shot behind three times last year \u2014 to Jon Rahm in the Mexico Open, Xander Schauffele in the Scottish Open, McIlroy at the CJ Cup in South Carolina. Now he has to contend with a host of top players, and Scheffler is sure to get his attention. Scheffler already has successfully defended one title this year at the WM Phoenix Open.<\/p>\n
Scheffler took care of both par 5s on the back nine, hit a lob wedge at a scary pin on the 13th for birdie, and saved his best for the par-3 17th. <\/p>\n
Even with the wind at his back, his only hope was to hit something that stayed on the brick-hard green. He hammered a 9-iron and watched it narrowly clear the bunker and finish 4 feet away.<\/p>\n
Now the Masters champion is in range of another title that could be enough to take him back to No. 1 in the world. Scheffler expects the sternest test of the week.<\/p>\n
\u201cShould be another fun one,\u201d he said, alluding to the course and the contenders. \u201cThat\u2019s what\u2019s exciting about our new schedule. I think we\u2019re going to have a lot more of this stuff. I\u2019m sure Viktor\u2019s looking to beat me this year and I\u2019m looking to do the same. There\u2019s a lot of talented guys on the leaderboard, though. I\u2019m not going to be too focused on anybody else other than myself going into tomorrow.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rahm is in danger of losing the top ranking. He opened with a 65 and followed with two straight 76s. He made five straight bogeys around the turn in the third round.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
ORLANDO, Fla 05 Mar (Online) Kurt Kitayama had to leave home to find his way in golf by playing circuits in Europe, Australia and Asia, all for a chance to get to the highest level. Along with three worldwide titles, he learned how to battle. […]<\/p>\n
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