Will Zalatoris loses lead down stretch as stage is set for scintillating Sunday at Bay Hill

McIlroy ignited his round with a 365-yard drive over a dogleg right and onto the green at the par-4 10th hole to set up two-putt from 60 feet for birdie. He then followed with birdies on Nos. 12, 13, 16, 17 and 18 to serve notice he will be in the Sunday mix.

The world’s No. 2 player will have to close ground with a foot on the gas but an eye on the road.

“You start chasing on this golf course, it can bite you pretty quickly,” he said. “You got to pick your spots and still be patient.”

World No. 1 Scheffler preached patience after he trailed by as many as six shots but ended tied for the lead.

A roller coaster round of 70 featured four bogeys and two birdies on his first 11 holes but four birdies and seven one-putts from there, validating his recent change to a mallet putter amid his highly publicized struggles on the greens.

Based on his 2022 victory with a score of just 5-under par, Scheffler is braced for a grind ahead.

“It was a lot of days like today, where it was just windy and gusty, and the greens are pretty much dead,” he said. “Tomorrow I think we’re going to see more of the same or more of what we saw today.”

Lowry is well familiar with breezy conditions in his native Ireland. On Saturday, he also showed mettle after consecutive bogeys to end his opening nine left him 5 shots back.

A birdie putt outside 30 feet on the par-3 17th highlighted his rally for a 70 to put into the final pairing with Scheffler.

“These are the reasons you get up out of bed in the morning, to get out and compete against the best players in the world,” he said. “I’m excited.”

Clark’s chance to play in the final pairing ended with a 5 on the par-4 18th hole. The bogey was the sole blemish on a back nine that began 3-3-3 (birdie-birdie-eagle) on Nos. 10, 11 and 12, a feat never performed since records were kept at Bay Hill until Lowry during Thursday’s opening round.

Clark needed the record run after double-bogeys to begin and end his front nine, leading him to slam his club into the 9th fairway turf.

“The one that really got me mad was on 9,” he said. “I missed the fairway by three yards, have a terrible lie, chip out to right in the middle of a really tough divot from 20 yards. Then my emotions got to me.

“I was able to collect myself and focus.”

The golfer best able to manage his emotions as much as his games will to walk away with a $4 million payday and one of the game’s most prestigious wins.

Expect Sunday to come down to 72nd hole.

“You have to be really patient and not let it get to you,” Clark said. “This tournament is more of a mental challenge than a physical one.”