Russell Henley pulled off a stunning comeback to claim the biggest victory of his career at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, edging out Collin Morikawa with a dramatic late surge. A chip-in eagle on the 16th hole secured Henley a one-stroke win, capping off a four-shot swing over just three holes and leaving Morikawa to reflect on a tournament that had seemed firmly within his grasp.
For much of the final round, Morikawa appeared to be in complete control. Holding a three-shot lead through ten holes, the two-time major champion looked poised to secure another title. However, Henley mounted a charge, birdieing the 14th hole while Morikawa faltered with a bogey. The defining moment came at the par-5 16th, where Henley’s chip-in for eagle gave him the outright lead for the first time in the tournament. Morikawa was unable to recover from the sudden shift in momentum, and Henley’s final score of 11 under par proved enough for victory.
“Sometimes golf is just mean like that,” said Henley after securing his first win since 2022. “This game is unbelievably hard. That was just so difficult.” The victory propels him into elite company, with a Ryder Cup debut in September now a strong possibility.
Morikawa declined to speak to the media after the round, a clear sign of his disappointment. The 27-year-old has struggled to recapture the dominance that saw him win majors in 2020 and 2021, and this latest defeat may take time to process.
Canada’s Corey Conners finished third at nine under par, securing a spot in The Open at Portrush as a result. Michael Kim finished fourth at eight under, while Keegan Bradley produced a spectacular final-round 64 to climb into a tie for fifth. Bradley’s performance bolstered his hopes of making the US Ryder Cup team, while Shane Lowry, who finished one shot behind him, was left to rue a third-round 76 that derailed his title bid.
Rory McIlroy endured a frustrating week, finishing tied for 15th after failing to break 70 in any of his four rounds. The Northern Irishman experimented with new equipment early in the tournament but reverted to his previous driver and fairway woods for the final round. “I just went back to what was familiar and comfortable,” McIlroy explained. He also noted that while new clubs might perform well in practice, tournament conditions can reveal their shortcomings.
With the Masters approaching in early April, McIlroy plans to visit Augusta National in advance to assess changes to the course following damage caused by Hurricane Helene last year. “It’s just going to be a little bit different this year,” he said. “There are some areas of the course that are maybe a little thinner, tree-wise.”
Henley’s triumph at Bay Hill cements his place among golf’s top competitors, while Morikawa faces another difficult lesson in closing out tournaments. As the season progresses, both players will look ahead to Augusta, where another chapter in their careers could be written.
