Daniel Berger extended his lead to five shots at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after shooting a second-round 68 to reach 13 under par. Akshay Bhatia sits second at 8 under following a low round of 66, while Ludvig Åberg, Collin Morikawa and Sahith Theegala share third at 7 under. The cut fell at 2 over, with notable players like Justin Thomas and Shane Lowry missing the weekend.
The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard reached its halfway point at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida, where Daniel Berger solidified his position atop the leaderboard. Berger, a Florida native, opened with a first-round 63, one stroke shy of the course record, highlighted by nine birdie putts ranging from 2 feet 2 inches to 11 feet 3 inches. He led the field in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green and ranked second in SG: Putting during that round. On Friday, Berger added a 68, featuring five birdies and one bogey on the par-3 seventh, to move to 13 under par overall.
"You've just got to stay patient and take what the course gives you," Berger said. "And when you have an opportunity, you've got to take advantage because there's not many of them out there." He noted playing even better on Friday despite tougher conditions, with greens firming up and pins in challenging spots. Berger, winless on the PGA Tour since 2021 at Pebble Beach, has dealt with injuries including a broken right ring finger last year and back issues in 2022-2023, but he started 2026 strongly with a sixth-place finish at the Sony Open.
Akshay Bhatia carded the day's low round of 66, with seven birdies including a 36-foot chip-in on the eighth, to reach 8 under and trail by five. Tied for third at 7 under were Ludvig Åberg (71), Collin Morikawa (71) and Sahith Theegala (67, bogey-free with a bunker hole-out on the 10th). Rory McIlroy improved from an even-par 72 with a 68 featuring five birdies and one bogey, moving to 4 under and nine shots back. "I played the last 10 holes really, really well," McIlroy said. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler finished at 3 under after a 71 marred by a bogey on 18.
The cut line settled at 2 over 146, lower than recent years despite the course's difficulty. Justin Thomas, returning after four months sidelined by back surgery, shot consecutive 79s for 14 over, missing the cut. "I'm trying as hard as I can to give myself a little bit of grace," Thomas said. Other notables out included Shane Lowry (73 for +3 total), Justin Rose (80 for +12) and Jason Day (+4). Bay Hill's greens drew complaints for their speed and firmness, with Harris English calling it "the U.S. Open in spring" and Scheffler noting they were "already dead."
Berger seeks his first win in five years, which would secure a Masters invitation. The weekend promises tougher tests as conditions firm further without rain.
