Twenty million dollars in prize money is a great reason for (almost) everyone in the world to turn up this week, starting Thursday, at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge near Orlando for the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament.
Arnold Palmer Invitational schedule
Therefore, it is no coincidence that no one is missing from the Florida call-up (except Cameron Smith because he is registered in the LIV) among the top 10 of the World Ranking: Rory, Rahm, Scheffler, Thomas, Homa & Co.
everyone will be in the game. By the way: there will also be Francesco Molinari, who won here in 2019, and who is looking for a relaunch of his 2023 American season right here, which for now places him in 200th place in the FedEX Cup.
The Course: The Bay Hill Club & Lodge is a 7500-yard, par 72 full of killer doglegs, making it essential to know how to curve the ball in both directions.
In addition, the average width of the fairways is 25 meters, with water often and willingly (9 times out of 18) to disturb -and even a lot- the tee shots: it is therefore essential to hit the track, too given the thickness and massive present on the raw sides.
The defending champion is Scottie Scheffler, who this season has the second best percentage of greens in regulation with his monumental 75.0%; A few tenths higher is the category leader Jon Rahm (75.6%), who, not by chance, has not only won 3 times in the last 9 tournaments (!!), but has never left the top 7.
Be careful when talking about regulation greens, though, because Bay Hill is the Pga Tour course where players are called upon several times throughout the season to hit the bars from distances greater than 200 yards: therefore, it becomes crucial not only to see who is the best with long irons (among the notables, Rahm, for a change, and Collin Morikawa), but also who is the best in shots gained around the green (editor’s note by Justin Thomas). , since often and voluntarily it will not be possible to hit the target from long distances.
Finally, another of the super favourites, Rory McIlroy who already won here in 2018: the Northern Irishman arrives at Bay Hill not only on the strength of two successes already obtained in the season, but also on the best statistics in Arnold’s Strokes Gained Total Palmer Invitational: +2.3.
In short, turn around, the names always seem to be the same, but never say never: the tournament field features 120 players who are in fact all capable of wearing the redcoat because of the winner. The only sure thing in this scenario is that, whatever it is, the Arnold Palmer Invitational will always be a great show, because after all, as El Rey, or rather Arnold Palmer, affirms, «the road to success is always in construction». .
