Daniel Berger Maintains Lead as Rain Softens Bay Hill

Berger holds two-shot lead as third round is suspended due to darkness

Published on Mar. 8, 2026

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Daniel Berger still holds the lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in Orlando, Florida, despite the rain taking some of the bite out of the Bay Hill course on Saturday. Berger was 13-under par when play was suspended due to darkness, with Akshay Bhatia two shots back at 11-under. The rain delay made the greens softer and more receptive, allowing players like Cameron Young and Collin Morikawa to make a charge up the leaderboard. However, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler struggled, making a double bogey on the 18th hole to fall further behind.

Why it matters

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of the PGA Tour's marquee events, and Berger's performance over the weekend could set him up for a potential victory that would boost his standing in the sport. The rain delay and course conditions also provided an interesting dynamic, with players having to adjust their strategies on the fly.

The details

Berger was 13-under par and held a two-shot lead over Bhatia when play was suspended due to darkness on Saturday. Bhatia made a late birdie to pull within two shots of the lead. Earlier in the day, the heavy rain that fell softened the greens at Bay Hill, making them more receptive and allowing players like Young and Morikawa to make a move up the leaderboard. However, Scheffler struggled, making a double bogey on the 18th hole to fall further behind.

  • Play was suspended due to darkness on Saturday, March 8, 2026.

The players

Daniel Berger

The current leader of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Berger was 13-under par when play was suspended on Saturday.

Akshay Bhatia

Berger's closest competitor, Bhatia was two shots back at 11-under par when play was suspended.

Scottie Scheffler

The world's No. 1 ranked player, Scheffler struggled on Saturday, making a double bogey on the 18th hole to fall further behind the leaders.

Cameron Young

Young, who grew up playing at nearby Orange Tree and has a connection to Arnold Palmer through his alma mater Wake Forest, made a late charge with four straight birdies on the back nine.

Collin Morikawa

Morikawa posted a 70 on Saturday and is in contention heading into the final round.

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What they’re saying

“It's an uncomfortable golf course. And it's not going to get any easier.”

— Akshay Bhatia

“Anything can happen. I don't know what Daniel is going to do, I don't know where I'm going to finish the day. But any time you get a golf course this difficult, and this many good players within a couple shots of each other … any one of them could take a really difficult golf course and make it look easy.”

— Cameron Young

What’s next

Berger will return on Sunday morning to face a 35-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th hole to potentially extend his lead. The final round will then be played out to determine the winner of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

The takeaway

Despite the rain softening the course, Bay Hill remains a challenging test that could lead to an exciting final round with several players in contention. Berger's ability to maintain his composure and hold onto the lead will be crucial, but the unpredictable nature of the course means any of the top players could emerge victorious.