Viktor Hovland overtakes Rory McIlroy to take halfway lead at Bay Hill

Viktor Hovland, watching on television with feet up, was at least served a reminder of the grisly nature of Bay Hill’s closing stretch as shadows lengthen. A year ago, Hovland tied third at the Arnold Palmer Invitational after 36 holes. By Sunday night, he shared 49th.

Rory McIlroy had clung on manfully to a nine-under-par aggregate, matching Hovland, before a missed putt from under 3ft at the 15th. Then McIlroy’s iron into the par-three 17th bounded into thick rough behind the green, that preceded another bogey. McIlroy’s 72 was far from disastrous in the context of firm, crusty putting surfaces but he had slipped from a share of the lead to tying second with Tyrrell Hatton and Talor Gooch. Billy Horschel, who is six under, lurks with typically menacing intent.

“It gets really difficult out there,” said McIlroy. “I’m glad I saw the course in this condition because that should help me over the weekend.”

Hovland’s morning 66 was remarkable for the inclusion of just 23 putts. The jaunty Norwegian is seeking a fifth victory since November; that should be good enough to propel him to No 2 in the world. “I try to forget the weekend here last year,” Hovland said. “I played really well the first few days, very similar to how I have played so far this year. The course just gets harder and harder every single day, and it started blowing. I made a few too many bad swings, ended up in bad spots and just didn’t really take my medicine.”

Hatton won here in 2020, in what was the last full event before the PGA Tour endured a pandemic-enforced shutdown. Hatton’s prominence – he added a 68 to Thursday’s 69 – would therefore be notable but for the Englishman’s grim prognosis of the state of his game.

“I’m not particularly happy with how I