Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard Round 2

Daniel Berger continued his clinical return to form, carding a 4-under-par 68 to reach 13-under and build a commanding five-shot lead. Berger’s performance was a masterclass in patience; he leaned on a "steady diet of fairways and greens" to offset the increasingly firm conditions that left much of the field frustrated. His two-day total of 131 is the best start at Bay Hill in over a decade, putting him in pole position for his first Signature Event title. The leaderboard behind Berger saw plenty of movement as players grappled with the "purple" greens. Akshay Bhatia shot the round of the afternoon, a 6-under-par 66, to surge into second place at 8-under. Ludvig Åberg, Collin Morikawa, and Sahith Theegala remain in the hunt at 7-under, while Rory McIlroy fired a steady 68 to climb into a tie for 9th. However, it was a day of mixed emotions for world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who finished with a frustrating bogey on 18 to sit 10 shots back, visibly venting his frustration at the "dead" greens. The cut fell at 2-over-par, claiming several notable names and setting the stage for a high-intensity weekend.