ORLANDO, Fla. — Round 1 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge offered something for everybody.
The world No. 1, a globe-trotting journeyman, a rising American star, a feel-good story and the defending champion were among those atop a tight, eclectic leaderboard Thursday at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Other big-name players are lurking, too, setting the stage for riveting second round Friday when conditions are forecast to turn treacherous.
Golfers capitalized on favorable first-round scoring conditions, no one more than Jon Rahm. A fast start and faster finish sandwiched a sluggish two-hour stretch adding up to a 7-under 65 for the game’s top-ranked player a year after he failed to break 70 during his API debut.
“We’re playing with some really small margins today and took advantage of those,” he said. “You just come out here, you pick your battles and hope you can birdie the ones that you pick.”
In hot pursuit and two shots back are three players, including Kurt Kitayama. The 30-year-old Californian has won on the European, Asian and Sunshine tours but seeks his first on the PGA Tour.
Kitayama was amid a bogey-free round when he reached his final hole, the par-4 9th. He settled for 67 after he missed a par save just outside 5 feet on the day’s toughest hole, playing .44 strokes over par.
“It’s disappointing to finish like that,” he said. “There’s no gimmie holes. You feel like you’re always on edge.”
Cam Young’s quest of a breakthrough win and Chris Kirk’s bid for back-to-back victories began with 5-under 67s that left them tied for the lead following the morning wave. A shot back of them early on was Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 API winner and world No. 2 with a chance to overtake Rahm at the top spot.
Scheffler chalked up his round to a birdie on the par-8 — Bay Hill’s second-toughest hole Thursday — and avoiding the rough off the tee on all but one hole. The 26-year-old already defended his Phoenix Open title and aims to do it again this week.
Young’s five runner-up finishes last season indicated his first win likely was on the way in 2023. Beastly Bay Hill sets up well for the big-hitting 25-year-old New Yorker. He was 5-under on the four reachable par-5s, highlighted by an eagle on No. 12 — his third hole of the day.
“Any time you break par out here you’re doing OK,” he said. “I just feel like every time I had a chance to make birdie I did.”
A week after winning the Honda Classic, Kirk’s putter keyed Thursday’s round. He sank more than 117 feet of putts to continue the good vibes.
Until the Honda, Kirk was winless in nearly eight years, including a stretch when he stepped away from the PGA Tour to seek help for alcoholism and depression. The outpouring of support forced Kirk to get grounded before the early tee time.
“Definitely that 5:30 alarm came really early,” he said. “But I was excited. I felt a little bit like a zombie this morning, but can’t really take away from the excitement that I have playing this event every year.”
Storylines abound at a tournament dear to Kirk’s heart and among the most prestigious annual stops on Tour.
Three-time major winner Jordan Spieth, rejuvenated fan favorite Rickie Fowler, world No. 4 Patrick Cantlay and world No. 6 Xander Schauffele each shot 68.
Coming off a missed cut at the Genesis Invitational, Spieth was pleased with his second API.
“It’s nice to get off to a good start just to reassure kind of where I feel the state of my game’s at,” he said.
But no one’s game has been on Rahm’s level in 2023.
Already a three-time winner since January, the 27-year-old Spaniard birdied his first three holes and was 4-under on 16, 17 and 18. In between, he held together the round with deft, determined play culminating with a 35-foot par save on the par-4 15th hole.
“That one on 15 was huge,” he said. “I made my worst swing of the day and ended up having 30 feet for par. Accepted making a bogey. So sometimes you make ‘em like that.”
Rahm followed with the day’s only eagle on the gettable par-5 16th hole, sinking a putt just inside 25. Yet, the two swings that separated him from the pack were iron shots to inside 6 feet on the 217-yard par-3 second hole and inside 3 feet on the 214-yard 17th hole.
He and Scheffler were the only two players among the top 12 to make 2 on those difficult par-3s.
“It just doesn’t happen,” he said. “I hit two really good shots and landed in a very precise spot.”
Friday will demand as much patience and perseverance as precision. Winds of 15-20 mph are forecast for 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and gusts of at least 25.
Firm greens kept everyone on their toes Thursday. The 120-player field is bracing for what’s to come.
“We’ll see what happens on these greens,” Scheffler said. “It better not blow too hard or they may need to slow them down or something. I really don’t know what they’re going to do.”
