ORLANDO, Fla. – Bay Hill is perennially one of the hardest courses on the PGA TOUR, and this week has been no exception. Things could get even more difficult with high winds hitting the course as the leaders tee off Saturday afternoon.

The wind will blow consistently around 20 mph this afternoon with gusts reaching 30 mph. That wind not only will wreak havoc on shots as they soar through the air, but it will help the course continue to get firmer. The record high temperatures nearing 90 degrees also will contribute to crispy course conditions.

“I saw the wind was going to be up this weekend, so it may be a survival test,” said Scottie Scheffler on Friday afternoon. He was one of the tournament’s six co-leaders at the halfway point. Scheffler, Shane Lowry, Hideki Matsuyama, Russell Henley, Brian Harman and Wyndham Clark were all 7-under par after the opening two rounds.

Bay Hill is the only course to rank as one of the 10-toughest on TOUR in each of the previous five seasons (2019-2023). This week, the scoring average has been around even par but the likes of Collin Morikawa and Tommy Fleetwood shot in the 80s on Friday. Three of the last four winners here have been single-digits under par.

“It's going to get windy (Saturday), greens are going to keep firming up, so it's going to be really hard to get the ball close,” said Harman.

A cold front is expected to move into the area Saturday evening. Temperatures are forecast to stay in the high 70s but the wind will persist, with the wind blowing 10-15 mph Sunday afternoon and gusts up to 20 mph.

“I bet you if I shot even par I would be in the top 5 and have a chance to win,” Clark said on Friday. “(Saturday) is supposed to have some wind and be hot, so it's going to get firmer and faster, which it's already doing, into the greens, so even par would be fantastic.”