| -9 K Kitayama (USA); -8 English H (US), R McIlroy (NI); -7 P Cantlay (USA), T Hatton (England), S Scheffler (USA), J Spieth (USA) |
| Others selected: -5 J Day (Aus), V Hovland (Nor); -4 M Fitzpatrick (Eng); E D Willett (Eng) |
| Full ranking |
Rory McIlroy missed out on victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational as Kurt Kitayama held his nerve to secure the win.
McIlroy missed a 10-foot birdie attempt on the 18th and finished with eight under after a final round of 70.
American Kitayama birdied the 17th to reach nine under and made a par on the last for his first PGA Tour win.
“I had been dreaming about it for a while,” he said. “I’ve been close and to finally do it is amazing.”
Kitayama produced a level 72 on the final day that included four birdies, a bogey and a triple bogey.
McIlroy had five bogeys on his final round, which also contained seven birdies as he shot two under on the final day.
The Northern Irishman finished tied for second alongside American Harris English.
“It’s disappointing,” McIlroy said. “I felt like I gave myself a big chance after a birdie on the 13th and then playing the last five holes in one on par, with that heavy leaderboard, it’s not really going to do it.
“It was an all day battle. I felt like I held on pretty well and only got one short in the end.”
American Jordan Spieth hit four birdies on his first five holes but, while he had two more birdies, he also produced four bogeys as he carded a final round 70 to finish with seven under.
Defending champion Scottie Scheffler (73) was also seven under, along with fellow countryman Patrick Cantlay (68) and England’s Tyrrell Hatton (72).
