Kurt Kitayama is within the working to clinch the primary PGA Tour title of his profession. He dominated the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational discipline with a scoring deficit of 9.
Kitayama topped the leaderboard on Friday after the second spherical. Spanish golfer Jon Rahm took the lead within the opening spherical however was disillusioned along with his efficiency within the subsequent two rounds.
Kurt Kitayama began the match in second place within the opening spherical earlier than topping the leaderboard on Friday. He managed to increase the lead on Saturday and can begin the ultimate spherical with a one-shot lead over Viktor Hovland.
Kitayama, the two-time DP World Tour winner, opened up about his efficiency and stated:
“Actually pleased with how I used to be in a position to combat again to even. I’ve all the time simply felt like there’s no giving up. It’s simply form of in my nature. Even when it’s going unhealthy, you possibly can’t simply pack it in. You combat for each shot.”
Hovland surprisingly impressed individuals along with his efficiency, leaping 18 positions after the third spherical. He made a hole-in-one on Friday to chase the chief. Hovland opened up about his recreation in an interview. He stated:
“I simply bought to maintain doing what I have been doing. I have been hitting a whole lot of fairways and greens. Final 12 months, I did not fairly hit it pretty much as good as I did earlier within the week. However even then, I nonetheless really feel like I ought to have gained final 12 months if I had a half respectable quick recreation final 12 months.”
He added:
“I nonetheless hit it ok to play somewhat bit higher, however I really feel like this 12 months I am stroking it nicely. My pace on the greens shouldn’t be fairly the place it needs to be; I am leaving a whole lot of putts quick. However I actually do really feel like my quick recreation method has gotten loads higher, despite the fact that it hasn’t actually proven that this week.”
The early {and professional} profession of Kurt Kitayama
Kurt Kitayama was born and introduced up in Chico, California. He graduated from Chico Excessive Faculty in 2011. Throughout his faculty days, Kitayama was into basketball and served because the co-captain of his faculty crew.
In 2009, he completed third on the Callaway Junior World Golf Championships within the 15-18 age group class and was appointed the 2009 Participant of the 12 months by the Junior Golf Affiliation of Northern California.
He reached forty seventh within the beginner world golf rankings earlier than turning skilled in 2015.
Kitayama performed totally on Internet.com.tour throughout the preliminary days of his profession in 2016 and 2017. He then performed on the Asian Tour in 2018 and completed 4th within the New Zealand Open and Asia-Pacific Diamond Cup Golf.
Kurt Kitayama earned the PGA Tour card in 2021 by ending within the twenty third place within the Korn Ferry Tour finals. His finest end on the tour was on the 2022 Honda Basic, the place he positioned in third place, which was improved to second place on the 2022 Mexico Open. He’s but to register his first win on the PGA Tour.