Kitayama holds firm as McIlroy edged out in Bay Hill

Kurt Kitayama recovered from a final round triple bogey to hold off Rory McIlroy and a star-studded group of chasers to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.

Leading overnight, all was going swimmingly for the American on the front nine, with birdies at 3, 6, 7 lifting him to -11 and a two stroke lead.

However, after a driving out of bounds, Kitayama registered an ugly 7 at the 9th to fall back to the pack.

It was a pack decorated with gilded names, with McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Scottie Scheffler and Patrick Cantlay all entering into the reckoning.

McIlroy, who began his final round three off the lead, hit the front after a hot stretch around the turn, with four birdies arriving in five holes between the 9th and 13th.

FINAL LEADERBOARD

However, after catching sight of his name at the summit of the leaderboard, he was left to rue a poor tee shot at the par-3 14th, the resultant bogey sending him back to the cluster on eight-under. Another dropped stroke followed on 15 after another wayward drive.

He recovered with a tap-in birdie at the par-5 16th but then watched his birdie attempt at the 18th slide by.

Just missed it. McIlroy, Scheffler, English and Kitayama all remain tied at 8-under @APInv. pic.twitter.com/fbYqnRKGoJ

As the World No. 3 waited for the final groups to finish, a playoff looked the likeliest outcome but Kitayama, having steadied things on the back nine, drained a crucial birdie on 17 to go one stroke clear of McIlroy and Harris English.

From there, he held his nerve on 18, tapping in for par to seal his first PGA Tour win.

More to follow...