Daniel Berger opened the Arnold Palmer Invitational in style on Thursday, firing a bogey-free 9-under-par 63 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge to take a three-shot lead over the field.

The 32-year-old Floridian carded six birdies on the back nine, leaving him ahead of Collin Morikawa and Sweden’s Ludvig Åberg, both of whom finished the day at 6-under-par 66. Berger’s performance marked a strong return after struggling with injuries over the past few seasons, including a back issue that sidelined him for most of 2022 and 2023, followed by a broken finger late last year.

“I’m just trying to get into a rhythm again,” Berger said. “I missed all of the fall, and after breaking my finger, I had a long break. Coming back, it’s about finding my flow and sticking to my routine. I’ve been playing well, and the results are finally coming.”

Berger’s precision with irons and wedges paid off, setting up birdies from 6 feet, 4 feet, and 2 feet at holes 7, 10, and 11. His smooth, bogey-free round highlighted his improved consistency after a period of setbacks.

Morikawa, who ended a title drought last month at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, had a mixed round but finished strong. After five birdies and three bogeys through 15 holes, he sank a 15-foot eagle putt on the par-5 16th, followed by a birdie at 17 and a 27-foot putt on 18 to close at 4 under for his final three holes.

“I still think about last year at Bay Hill,” Morikawa said. “You learn from those experiences and try to use them to improve. Today felt good, and I was able to finish strong.”

Åberg overcame mid-round bogeys at holes 10 and 11 with an eagle at 12, sinking a 24½-foot putt. “I was hitting fairways and rolling it nicely on the greens,” he said. “I tried to balance aggression and caution, especially with the tricky crosswinds.”

Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas shared fourth place at 5-under with Cameron Young. Another stroke back were Xander Schauffele, Australia’s Adam Scott, and New Zealand’s Ryan Fox. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler shot 2-under 70, improving on previous tournaments where slow starts held him back.

Other notable performers included Rickie Fowler at 3-under 69, Justin Rose and Hideki Matsuyama at 2-under 70, and Rory McIlroy and Viktor Hovland at even-par 72. McIlroy’s round included a double bogey, two bogeys, and one birdie over his final six holes.

As a $20 million signature event, the Arnold Palmer Invitational will implement a 36-hole cut that includes the top 50 players and ties, keeping the competition tight for the weekend. -Field Level Media/Reuters