ORLANDO, Fla. – As Rory McIlroy walked off the golf course Friday evening at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, he breathed a huge sigh of relief. He was glad to be done. He had withstood another devilish day at Arnie’s Place and walked away with an even-par 72 that kept him within striking distance of the lead.
They certainly weren’t the harshest conditions he’s faced over the years at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. No, the fairways are still fairly soft, and the weather windy but warm. But the greens, well, those are a much different story.
“Those are the sort of greens you expect to see late on a Sunday, not late on a Friday,” McIlroy said.