Gooch and Horschel share Bay Hill lead as Hovland falters and McIlroy drifts

• Talor Gooch and Billy Horschel on -7, Viktor Hovland one back
• Rory McIlroy and Graeme McDowell four shots behind leaders

Viktor Hovland held a four-shot lead for a Saturday afternoon spell at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. As the opposition wilted, it appeared a straightforward case of the young Norwegian's march towards the summit of world golf continuing courtesy of a seventh professional victory. Not so fast, declared Bay Hill.

By close of play, Hovland sat one adrift of Billy Horschel and Talor Gooch. Hovland's 74 - he missed a par putt from 11ft on the last - means a six-under-par aggregate. He was minus 10 when leading all around him a merry dance. As is typical, this event is incredibly hard to call. Horschel is the man with momentum; his back nine of 34 was one better than Gooch and superior to Hovland by six.