Scottie Scheffler, players preparing for Arnold Palmer Invitational “survival test”

Get ready for carnage this weekend at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Bay Hill, which hosts the tournament every year, has already been compared to the U.S. Open because of its difficulty.

But Saturday’s forecast will make things even more difficult.

Temperatures in the low 80s and wind gusts of about 20 miles per hour will burn Ernie’s Place, making it faster, harder and more difficult.

“This might be a test of survival,” said Scottie Scheffler, who is tied for the lead after 36 holes at 7 under.

“It’s going to depend on them watering the greens and slowing down a little bit because we’re expecting high winds. But we’ll see what decisions they make.”

Who knows what PGA Tour officials will do with greens that are already rolling so fast. However, the Orlando area will have quite a bit of cloud cover on Saturday, so you may not need to moisturize your greens.

Either way, the contestants are anticipating a grueling challenge, a day when anything near even par will prove worthwhile.

“If I can shoot even par, I’ll have a chance to finish in the top five and win,” said Wyndham Clark, who was also at 7 under.

“It’s going to be stiffer and faster, which it already is, so it’s even par.” [Saturday] That would be great. It looks like it’s going to rain a little on Sunday, so it might stop a bit. But yeah, if you told me right now that I’m hitting 3 under for the weekend, I’d take it because I think I have a really good chance on the last few holes. ”

The conditions are hard and fast, so it will be difficult for athletes to hold on.

This means players need to stay stoic, work hard, and aim for long putts on the green.

“It’s going to be windy tomorrow and the greens are going to continue to get hard, so it’s going to be really hard to get the ball close,” reasoned fellow Golfer of the Year champion Brian Herman, who is at 7 under.

Photo credit: David Cannon/Getty Images

“I just have to be patient and try to make some long putts here and there.”

Herman relied on his irons to climb the leaderboard Friday after his putter was unusually uncooperative.

Meanwhile, Scheffler and Clark made a number of long putts on Friday, with both players earning strokes on the green.

This should come as a surprise to many considering Scheffler’s recent putting woes.

“[Putts] I just went in today, and I think there were some things that I thought would go in that didn’t,” Scheffler said.

“I had a bad start and missed short putts on the 11th both rounds, but I stayed true to my process and didn’t let those things bother me and did a really good job. That was my main thing this week. That was the goal. Instead of trying to be perfect, just go out there and make some solid putts and see what happens.”

For Scheffler, no putt was more solid than his 45-foot birdie bomb on the 15th. That pushed Scheffler up to 5 under, but he wasn’t done yet.

He chipped in on the par-5 12th hole and made an eagle, gaining momentum.

Scheffler had an easy birdie on the par-5 16th and sunk 17 feet for birdie on the 17th.

As for Clark, he couldn’t afford to miss the final six holes.

The reigning U.S. Open champion hit a 27-footer on the 13th for birdie.

Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

Then, on the 17th and 18th holes, Clark sank putts from 32 and 27 feet, respectively.

He also made birdies on the 14th and 16th, rocketing up the leaderboard just as Scheffler did on the back nine.

Whoever wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational will need to make long putts like this one.

Because things don’t get any easier.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if it gets a little rougher with the wind picking up and everything,” added fellow leader Russell Henry.

“It’s a tough place to be, and the longer you play, the harder it gets.”

Scheffler, Clark, Herman, Henry, Shane Lowry and Hideki Matsuyama are all 7 under after 36 holes, the most since the 2011 Valero Texas Open. led by 7 players At the halfway point.

Five of them are also major champions.

Combined with the expected heat and wind, there should be plenty of entertainment in Bay Hill.

bring it on.

Jack Mirko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through.Be sure to check it out @_PlayingThrough Cover more golf. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko In the same way.