Rory McIlroy two strokes off the pace; Tiger Woods five back after third-round 69
Monday 19 March 2018 00:47, UK
Henrik Stenson will take a one-stroke lead into the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose made big moves up the leaderboard.
Stenson mixed four birdies with three bogeys on his way to a one-under 71 at Bay Hill and edge ahead of play partner Bryson DeChambeau, who remained at 11 under after a level-par 72.
McIlroy birdied two of his final three holes to close a five-under 67 and grab third spot, which Rose matched to lie a further shot back in tied-fourth alongside Ryan Moore.
A final-hole double-bogey saw one-time leader Rickie Fowler slip four off the pace, with eight-time Bay Hill winner Tiger Woods five strokes back in a share of 10th spot after a third-round 69.
Stenson began the day in a share of the lead and claimed the outright advantage with a 12-foot gain at the first, only for playing partner DeChambeau to drain a 20-footer at the par-three next.
DeChambeau cancelled out a blemish at the third with a two-putt gain at the next, as Stenson bounced back from a bogey at the eighth to card a 30-foot birdie at the ninth and reach the turn tied for the lead.
Both players missed the 10th green on their way to bogey-fives, allowing Fowler to move into a three-way tie for the top by following a front-nine 34 with three birdies in a four-hole stretch.
Fowler immediately slipped back with a long-range three-putt bogey at the 13th, with Stenson edging back ahead with a close-range gain on the par-five 12th.
DeChambeau briefly moved back alongside Stenson with a birdie at the 14th but bogeyed the next, allowing the Swede to temporarily double his lead with a two-putt gain at the par-five 16th.
Stenson saw his lead cut to one when he failed to get up-and-down from a greenside bunker at the 17th but held on to top spot with a two-putt par on his final hole, as Fowler's hopes faded when he took two out of the sand on his way to a double-bogey six at the last.
Fowler shares sixth spot with Byeong Hun An, Talor Gooch and Charley Hoffman, while Woods birdied the 18th to move into the group of four players on seven under.
Watch the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Sunday from 4.30pm on Sky Sports Golf and Sky Sports Main Event.
