Kurt Kitayama in pole position at the Arnold Palmer Invitational
- Planet Sport writer
- 4 March 2023
Kurt Kitayama mastered the blustery conditions at Bay Hill to earn a two-stroke lead, while tournament favourite Jon Rahm was virtually blown off the course at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Gusts up to 25 miles per hour made for challenging conditions in Florida and first-round leader Rahm suffered by carding a four-over 76, his highest score since the third round of the PGA Championship last May.
Kitayama has never won on the PGA Tour, but the Californian surged to the top of the leaderboard on nine under with a 68 that included five birdies and a solitary blemish at the par five 16th.
"Right now I feel like I'm just trying to get that win," said Kitayama, as per
pgatour.com.
"It's tough, especially with the guys I've been against. So I've just got to keep putting myself in that position to give myself a chance."
The 30-year-old holds a two-shot lead over Jordan Spieth, who closed with a 69 after almost going out of bounds at the 18th before missing his par putt.
Xander Schauffele and Corey Connors - who produced the best second-round score of 66 - are tied on six under, while US Open champion Matthew Fitzpatrick and American trio Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay and Davis Riley are a shot further back.
Rahm, who already has three PGA Tour wins this year, was among the early starters on the back nine and his day began badly when he drove into the water at the 11th and dropped a shot.
The Spaniard recovered with a birdie at the short 14th but four shots went in the final five holes, including a double bogey seven at the sixth after he found the water again.
"It's firm, it's fast and it's blowing 30 miles an hour," quipped the world number one.
"It's a very difficult golf course."
Rahm, among a group on three under, lies one stroke ahead of Rory McIlroy who played himself back into contention after a difficult first day.
McIlroy followed up his opening 73 with a battling 69 that saw him birdie three of the four par fives.
Shot of the day belonged to Viktor Hovland, who also finished two under after a hole in one at the 183-yard seventh.
Hovland produced a perfect seven-iron for his fourth PGA Tour ace, and the 23rd in the 57-year history of the tournament.
Two-time major champion Collin Morikawa and England's Justin Rose were among notable players to miss the cut.
Rose's hopes of playing the weekend were ruined by a triple bogey eight at the sixth after he drove into the water twice.
