International trend at Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard set to continue

ORLANDO – Arnold Palmer is credited with not just inspiring those from his native America, but golfers all around the world.

When most Americans were not interested in travelling over to Great Britain for The Open Championship, Palmer went and won – championing the cause for those to come after him.

He was a global star. Still is despite his passing a few years ago.

And it is why the likes of Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy – the defending champion – play in the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard.

And of late, those playing for nations without the stars and stripes on the flag, have come to find plenty of success travelling to Arnie’s place.

In the last 13 years nine players have won the now elevated status event at Bay Hill – seven of those are from outside the United States.

Through 54 holes this week four of the top five on the leaderboard are foreigners. Nine of the top 16.

England’s Matt Fitzpatrick leads the way at nine under after a bogey free 5-under 67 on Saturday.

In his back pocket is McIlroy again. The former FedExCup champion shot 66 with an early and late blitz of birdies to be just one shot back.

Just two off the pace sit Australian Aaron Baddeley (69) and England’s Matt Wallace (69).

That pair are joined by the leading American hope in Kevin Kisner (70) who was runner up at Bay Hill two years ago to Australian Marc Leishman.

“I didn't play this tournament starting off my career for various reasons and I would always get a letter from Arnold every year saying, hoping to see you at Bay Hill,” McIlroy says.

“And finally in 2015 I played here, and I realized what I was missing all those years. I got to spend some time with Arnold, which was a dream come true for me.

“And to spend some time with him I realized what such a great man he is, what he's done for the community here in Orlando, how many lives he's touched around the world. I think it is important for everyone to try to come here and pay tribute to one of the legends of the game.”

McIlroy has never successfully defended any of the 22 titles he’s won worldwide but his aggressive play does summon up memories of Palmer.

A year ago he closed with eight birdies in his last 13 holes to win. Today he had four birdies in his opening six holes. And three in his last four.

On Sunday he can reach 15 PGA TOUR wins, including four majors, before turning 30.

Only two players have hit those marks on that pace since the first Masters in 1934 … Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods.

“It's a great opportunity tomorrow to do something I've never done before. So that's exciting,” McIlroy said.

With four top five finishes in his last four starts on TOUR, McIlroy feels primed to win for the first time since a year ago.

“Any time you've had success on a course before that gives you confidence. I've been trending in the right direction,” he said.

“I feel pretty comfortable with everything out there and just the more times I put myself in this position the more I'm going to become comfortable there and sooner or later it's going to happen.”

Of course he will need to overtake Fitzpatrick. A five-time European Tour winner and former U.S. Amateur champion.

The Englishman is looking for his first win on the PGA TOUR.

“It's exciting more than frightening. I just think that's the way I tend to look at it, it's a great opportunity for me to do well, really,” he said.

“The big thing for me is just sticking to my own game tomorrow and not getting caught up in everyone else's scores.

“If someone's coming from behind or Rory's hitting it 45, 50, probably more, past me tomorrow it’s about just playing the shots that I can play.”

Wallace is also chasing a first win on the PGA TOUR having taken out four European Tour titles.

Baddeley is looking for his fifth, but first since 2016.

Despite playing with conditional status Baddeley has pushed himself to 61st in the FedExCup thanks to a couple of top 5s, the latest a runner up in his last start at the Puerto Rico Open.

Australians have won two of the last three events at Bay Hill, an omen he is happy with.

If the foreign trend is to be broken Kisner appears the most likely although Chris Kirk (66), Luke List (68), Charles Howell III (69) and Keegan Bradley (75) are part of the tie for sixth, three off the pace at six under.

“I think I’ve got to get to 12 (under),” Kisner said of his Sunday target.

“So that's the game plan. It's going to take a lot of quality golf shots and hole some key putts to have a chance tomorrow and we'll see what the day holds.”