Golf roundup: Charley Hoffman takes a one-shot lead at Bay Hill with a 66

Charley Hoffman wasn’t expecting to be at Bay Hill until he didn’t qualify for a World Golf Championship next week. The change in plans has worked out nicely so far.

In only his fourth appearance in the Arnold Palmer Invitational over the last decade, Hoffman made seven birdies in slightly warmer conditions Friday for a six-under-par 66 that gave him a 10-under 134 after 36 holes and a one-shot lead over Emiliano Grillo of Argentina.

Grillo made two eagles on his opening nine, holing a 35-yard bunker shot on the par-five 12th and chipping in from just off the green on the par-five 16th. He made birdies on the par-five holes on the front nine that carried him to a 68.

Matt Fitzpatrick of England had four birdies on the back nine for a 69 and was two shots behind.

Sam Saunders, the 29-year-old grandson of Palmer, had three straight bogeys around the turn and never caught up. He wound up with another 74 and missed the cut by one shot in the first Arnold Palmer Invitational since the death of the beloved tournament host last September.

“I don’t know, I’ve got a monkey on my back there where I just always seem to work my way toward that cut number and think about it too much,” Saunders said. “It’s all part of the learning experience, and just got to get better.”

The cut was three-over 147. Two players who missed the cut at least provided some entertainment.

British Open champion Henrik Stenson hit three balls out of the water, including two on one hole. His blast from the pond short of the 11th green barely made it out and rolled down the slope, only to be caught by a tuft of grass. His next chip rolled back down the slope and into the water, leading to a triple bogey. He also played out of the water on the 16th. Stenson shot 74.

One day after Cody Gribble grabbed the tail of an 8-foot alligator, spooking it back into the lake, Smylie Kaufman was walking along and didn’t see the gator. He jumped back in fright when he spotted it. The gator didn’t move.

Hoffman knows all about missing the cut at Bay Hill. He has left early three times in four previous trips to Bay Hill. The exception was in 2012, when he tied for 59th. He had only one sub-70 round, a 69 on the first day in 2013. He shot 79 the next day and missed the cut. That was four years ago, the last time he played.

Hoffman only had to finish 41st at the Valspar Championship last week to get one of the 64 available spots through the world ranking for the Dell Technologies Match Play next week in Austin, Texas. Instead, he missed the cut and will be the second alternate, unlikely to get in.

Palmer died in September, and the week has been a tribute to him, from the 13-foot bronze statue near the first and 10th tees to his signature umbrella logo worn by players on their apparel, golf bags and fairway metal covers.

Saunders played with Rory McIlroy, who had another mixed bag and shot 71 to finish at one-over 145, leaving him 11 shots out of the lead.

Wie in contention at Founders Cup

Michelle Wie is healthy and confident again. She’s in contention in the Bank of Hope Founders Cup, too, after shooting a five-under 67 on another hot and low-scoring day at Desert Ridge to enter the weekend a stroke behind leaders Stacy Lewis and Ariya Jutanugarn.

Winless in 62 events since the 2014 U.S. Women’s Open, Wie is coming off a fourth-place tie two weeks ago in Singapore. Lewis and Jutanugarn played together, each following an opening 64 with a 67 to reach 13 under in the tournament that broke the LPGA Tour record for the lowest 36-hole cut at 5 under. The previous mark of 4 under came in the 2015 Manulife LPGA Classic in Canada. The event record was 3 under last year.

Jeong Eun Lee shot a 64 to join Wie, Mi Jung Hur (66) and Vicky Hurst (67) at 12 under.

Couples leads by two strokes on Champions Tour

Fred Couples shot an eight-under 65 in the Tucson Conquistadores Classic, leaving playing partner Steve Stricker two strokes back is his PGA Tour Champions debut.

Tom Lehman and Jeff Maggert shot 66, and Stephen Ames, Billy Mayfair and John Cook matched Stricker at 67.

Bernhard Langer had a 71 for his 30th straight round under par. Gil Morgan set the PGA Tour Champions record of 31 in 2000. Colin Montgomerie also is at 30, but he is not playing this week.

Bob Estes also made his debut on the 50-and-over tour, shooting a 70. The 51-year-old Estes won four times on the PGA Tour and has made six starts on the top circuit this season. Defending champion Woody Austin also shot 70.