Scottie Scheffler Closing In on Potential Repeat at Arnold Palmer Invitational

ORLANDO, Fla.—Scottie Scheffler is threatening to become the No. 1 player in the world again and he’s seemingly trying to follow the same formula as he did a year ago.

Scheffler, who defended his title at the WM Phoenix Open three weeks ago, is in position to defend his Arnold Palmer Invitational title as well. He shot four-under-par 68 on Saturday at the Bay Hill Club to trail third-round leader Kurt Kitayama by one stroke along with Viktor Hovland.

“Should be another fun one,” said Scheffler, who regained the No. 1 ranking with his victory in Phoenix but then gave it up the next week when Jon Rahm won the Genesis Invitational. After opening the tournament with a 65, Rahm has fallen down the leaderboard with consecutive 76s and is in a tie for 44th.

“That’s what’s exciting about our new schedule. I think we’re going to have a lot more of this stuff,” Scheffler said. “I’m sure Viktor’s looking to beat me this year and I’m looking to do the same. There’s a lot of talented guys on the leaderboard though. I’m not going to be too focused on anybody else other than myself going into tomorrow. So many talented players out there. It should be a really fun battle.”

Kitayama battled back from a front-side 39 that included a double-bogey at the par-5 4th to birdie two of his last three holes and shoot 72 to regain the top spot at 217, nine under par. Hovland and Scheffler are a shot back.

Tyrrell Hatton, who won the 2020 rendition of this tournament, shot 66. Rory McIlroy got into contention by shooting 68 to tie for fifth with Harris English.

A year ago, Scheffler came to Bay Hill having won for the first time a few weeks prior. He prevailed over Hatton, Hovland and Billy Horschel by a stroke with a final-round 72 in a raw conditions that saw him win at five under par.

“I was proud to win on two golf courses that are extremely different,” Scheffler said. “Waste Management being more of a birdie-fest kind of place. This place being where it is where I won at five under. I think I was definitely proud of the ability to kind of grind it out. Kind of do a little bit more than I was able to in Phoenix. Just kind of a different style of play.”

Scheffler bogeyed the first hole Saturday and was even par for the round through nine holes but made five birdies on the back nine, including the final three holes. That put him tied for the lead with Hovland until Kitayama went by him with birdies at the 16th and 18th holes.

“I was trying to stay patient,” he said. “I didn’t want to put myself out of the tournament. I think around this golf course, as you see today, there’s guys that have gone from very far behind to in the lead.

“Around this place if you can get hot you're never too far out of it. I just tried to keep reminding myself of that.”

Scheffler could return to No. 1 in the world with a win. More importantly, he’d have a sixth PGA Tour win and continue the trend from last year. Scheffler added victories at the WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play and then the Masters.