Collin Morikawa says if he can still win the Arnold Palmer Invitational from six shots back

Collin Morikawa finds himself in a tricky position at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The two-time major champion enters the final stretch with a significant gap to bridge if he wishes to don the red cardigan. He’s T3, but six shots back from the leading Daniel Berger who has been setting the course alight with his play through two days.

But Bay Hill has long been regarded as one of the most punishing tests on the PGA Tour, where leads can evaporate in the Florida breeze.

So Morikawa remains acutely aware of how quickly the momentum can shift on a course defined by its water hazards and thick rough.

Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Collin Morikawa says how he can still win the Arnold Palmer Invitational from six shots back

We have seen in recent weeks just how quickly a lead can disappear on the PGA Tour. Jacob Bridgeman was cruising to victory at the Genesis Invitational before falling into the clutches of Rory McIlroy and winning by one shot.

And last week at the Cognizant Classic, Shane Lowry lost by two shots despite leading by three going into the 16th hole.

So Morikawa said that he is still well in this tournament, despite trailing the lead by six shots. He was asked how many shots is too far back to win, and he said, “I don’t know. I haven’t thought about that. I think the number’s pretty big though.

“This is a golf course where there’s water on a good handful of holes, you can go on a stretch of bogey, bogey, bogey. They can catch you quick. It’s one of those golf courses that just nothing comes easy.

“The easy holes that guys are making birdies aren’t necessarily always easy just because you see birdies. Like, we’re hitting quality golf shots to make those. So, I don’t know. I really don’t know. It’s at least a handful.”

The biggest collapses at the Arnold Palmer Invitational

Bay Hill is a venue where the leaderboard is never settled until the final putt drops. The course is notorious for Sunday collapses because its closing stretch, specifically the water-laden 16th, 17th, and 18th, punishes even the slightest loss of nerve.

Perhaps the most famous collapse occurred in 1990. Greg Norman was in prime position to win until rookie Robert Gamez produced a miracle by holing a seven-iron from 176 yards for an eagle on the 18th.

The shock of the roar rattled the field. Norman, needing a birdie to tie, couldn’t recover and watched the title slip away.

In 2009, Sean O’Hair entered the final round with a commanding five-shot lead over Tiger Woods. However, Bay Hill’s pressure mounted as O’Hair struggled to a 73. Woods systematically dismantled the lead, punctuated by a 16-foot birdie on the 18th in near-darkness to snatch the victory.

It remains a benchmark for how quickly a multi-shot lead can vanish under the Florida sun.

Whether it’s hitting into the “rocks” at the 13th or finding the water at the 16th, the “Devil’s Bathtub” (the 18th) often serves as the final graveyard for many Sunday leads.

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