| -9 V Hovland (Nor); -7 R McIlroy (NI), T Gooch (US), T Hatton (Eng); -6 B Horschel (US) |
| Selected others:-3 P Casey (Eng); -1 I Poulter (Eng); Level G McDowell (NI), A Scott (Aus), L Westwood (Eng), M Fitzpatrick (Eng), D Willett (Eng); +1 S Garcia (Spa) |
| Leaderboard |
Norway’s Viktor Hovland shot a six-under-par 66 to take the lead after round two of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Florida.
He posted seven birdies to move to nine under and a two-shot lead over Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, American Talor Gooch and England’s Tyrrell Hatton.
World number four Hovland needed only 23 putts as he built on his opening-round 69.
“I knew I putted well, but I didn’t know it was 23,” he said.
“My speed was maybe a little bit off, and I still feel like I can improve on that a little bit even after today.”
Starting on the back nine, 24-year-old Hovland birdied the 10th and 12th and hit his only bogey of the day on the 13th.
He recovered to make birdies on the 15th, 16th and par-three 17th, and wrapped up a fine day with birdies at the par-five fourth and sixth.
“I saw the lines really well,” Hovland said. “Sometimes when you see a couple go in early, it’s easy to keep that feel going throughout the day.”
McIlroy, who began the day with a two-shot lead, carded a bogey at the first.
Although he regained the lead with birdies at the fifth, seventh and eighth, he did not manage any more.
“My ball-striking today was pretty good apart from the first couple of holes,” said McIlroy.
“You just have to be so, so precise whenever the greens get like this.”
