Morikawa matched some peers with the second-best round of the day at Bay Hill to take pole position entering the final 18 holes

Collin Morikawa leads the Arnold Palmer Invitational by one shot at Bay Hill, with the two-time major champion on the brink of his first PGA Tour win in 17 months

He began the day three shots behind 36-hole leader Shane Lowry, but the Irishman struggled at Bay Hill, opening the door for Morikawa and others to move up the leaderboard. Lowry sat at 8-under at the midway point but dropped two shots on his first two holes — a harbinger of things to come.