Change in plans working out well for Hoffman at Bay Hill

ORLANDO, Fla. — 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 in the last decade, Hoffman made seven birdies in slightly warmer conditions Friday for a 6-under 66 that gave him a two-shot lead over Matt Fitzpatrick of England among the early starters.

Fitzpatrick had one of only five birdies in the morning draw on the 232-yard 17th hole and shot 69. Former U.S. Open champion Lucas Glover also had a 69 and was another shot behind.

Hoffman had only one sub-70 round in his previous four appearances at Bay Hill and made the cut only once. He tied for 59th in 2012. He likely would have made the field for the Dell Technologies Match Play next week until he missed the cut at the Valspar Championship a week ago Friday. That tournament was the cutoff for qualifying, and Hoffman finished three spots out of the 64-man field.

So he added Bay Hill, which he said was an easy decision considering the homage paid this week to Palmer.

“I played halfway decent the first round last time I was here,” he said of his opening 69 in 2013, which he followed with a 79 to miss the cut. “In the schedule, it hasn’t fallen where I would like in the past. I wasn’t in Match Play, and then obviously honoring Arnie is not a hard thing to come here and play.”

Hoffman was at 10-under 134.