MIAMI (AFP) – Daniel Berger opened up a substantial five-shot lead at the Arnold Palmer Invitational Friday, as he chases his first PGA Tour win in half a decade.
The 32-year-old American is sitting at 13 under par at the midway point, after carding an impressive 68 at Florida's challenging Bay Hill course.
Despite having sunk nine birdies a day earlier, Berger said he had played even better on Friday, as "the course was a little tougher."
"The green speeds are up there. The pin positions are tough," he said.
"It's just one of those courses. It's treacherous," Berger added.
A four-time winner on the PGA Tour, whose last triumph came at Pebble Beach in 2021, Berger started his second round with intent, immediately sinking a 24-foot putt from the fringe for a birdie on the opening hole.
"I hit a nice putt, just walked it in. Good start to the day," said Berger.
Though he recorded his first bogey of the week at the par-three seventh, two-putting after finding a bunker, it was smooth sailing for the native Floridian on the back nine, where he picked up three more birdies.
After multiple injuries, Berger has enjoyed a strong start to 2026, finishing sixth at the season-opening Sony Open in Hawaii in January.
He missed three months of golf last fall after breaking the ring finger on his right hand -- just the latest setback for Berger, who was absent for 10 months over 2022 and 2023 with back issues, and struggled for consistency when he returned in 2024.
Akshay Bhatia sat in second place after notching the day's best round with a 66 that featured seven birdies, including a 36-foot chip-in on eight.
"I'm just going to keep plodding along... (Berger) could run away with it and I could be playing for second or it could be a little bit of a challenge," he said.
"There's a lot of guys within six shots of the lead, which is not much around Bay Hill."
'CARNAGE'
Sweden's Ludvig Aberg and recent Pebble Beach champion Collin Morikawa were among the players a shot further back on seven under par, along with Sahith Theegala, who shot up the leaderboard with a bogey-free round of 67.
The American managed five birdies, holing in from a bunker on the 10th and putting from 14 feet on the 16th.
Theegala expressed relief at keeping his scorecard flawless with a clutch 10-foot par putt on the final hole.
"It was a great round, to go around this place with no bogeys. That putt on the last for sure meant a lot," he said.
Theegala predicted conditions would become even tougher, with the greens expected to get firmer still over a hot weekend.
"Part of the reason why I love this place is just, it's straight carnage... these first few days were probably as good as scoring gets out here," he said.
Rory McIlroy -- gearing up to defend his Masters title next month -- also carded one of Friday's best rounds, declaring himself "very pleased" to finish in 68 after an erratic even-par opening round.
McIlroy carded five birdies and a solitary bogey on the par-four eighth, where he found the water but prevented further damage with a 10-foot putt.
"I really felt like that kept any momentum that I had for the round going. I played the last 10 holes really, really well," he said.
World number one Scottie Scheffler capped a frustrating day with a bogey on 18 to finish three under par, in a tie for 15th.