Collin Morikawa Leads Palmer Invitational After Three Rounds

Former Cal golfer Collin Morikawa has the lead heading into the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, putting him position for his first PGA Tour win since 2023.

Morikawa shot a 5-under-par 67 in the third round in Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, leaving him at 10-under for the tournament, one stroke ahead of second-place Russell Henley, who also shot a 5-under 67 on Friday.

In third place at 8-under is Corey Conners, who fired a 3-under-par 69 in the third round.

The 28-year-old Morikawa, who is ranked No. 5 in the world, had six birdies and one bogey on Saturday, and on Sunday he shoots for his seventh PGA Tour victory and first since the 2023 Zozo Championship.

"I've gone longer [without a win], but honestly, I look back at last year, and it never felt like I had my game to just go out and just play golf," Morikawa said. "I felt like I was always kind of, you show up on Sunday, and not that I was guessing, but you still were fighting something and trying to just make it work. It's hard to win like that. I would say the guys that are winning on a constant basis, they're playing free, and that's how I'm going to go out [Sunday]."

He had a clear formula on how to score well on Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge course.

“Hit a lot of greens, hit a lot of fairways, 2-putt a lot,” he said. “Yeah, it's very simple, honestly. It's just very hard to do. Fairways are narrow, rough's thick, lies aren't easy, and you just got to get lucky here."