Daniel Berger holds a five-shot lead at 13-under par entering the third round of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida. Akshay Bhatia sits alone in second place at 8-under after carding a 6-under 66 in the second round. Notable contenders including Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy remain in the mix but trail further back.
The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, the third Signature Event of the PGA Tour season, continues at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on Saturday, March 7. After two rounds, Daniel Berger leads the 52-player field that advanced past the cut line of 2-over par. Twenty players, including 2016 winner Jason Day and 2026 Farmers Insurance Open champion Justin Rose, missed the cut.
Akshay Bhatia posted the low round of Friday with a 66, positioning him five strokes behind Berger. Tied for third at 7-under are Ludvig Åberg, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler stands at 4-under, while reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy is at 3-under. Defending champion Russell Henley shot a 3-under 69 in the second round and shares seventh place with Xander Schauffele.
Round 3 tee times begin at 9:20 a.m. ET from the first tee, with early groups including Andrew Novak and Brian Harman. Mid-morning pairings feature major winners like Hideki Matsuyama and Viktor Hovland at 10:55 a.m. ET. Scheffler tees off at 12:25 p.m. ET with Harris English, followed by McIlroy and Ryan Fox at 12:55 p.m. ET. The final group of leaders, Berger and Bhatia, starts at 1:50 p.m. ET.
Coverage airs on Golf Channel from 12:30-2:30 p.m. ET, shifting to NBC from 2:30-6 p.m. ET, with streaming available on ESPN+ starting at 9 a.m. ET via PGA Tour Live. Peacock offers a simulcast of the NBC broadcast.
This tournament has showcased a competitive field of major champions and PGA Tour veterans, setting the stage for an intriguing weekend battle.
