The PGA Tour stops in Orlando on the second leg of the Florida Swing for the Arnold Palmer Invitational (API).
The API originated in 1966 as the Florida Citrus Open Invitational and was hosted at Rio Pinar Country Club from 1966 to 1978.
In 1979 the event moved venues to Bay Hill Club, and the event changed names to the Bay Hill Citrus Classic.
After years of using “Bay Hill” in the event title, in 2007 the name was changed to the current event title in honor of the hall of famer, Arnold Palmer who purchased the golf course in 1974.
Due to the designated event status by the PGA Tour, the purse for the API has increased to $20 million up from $12 million in 2022.
The increased purse and designated status will attract one of the best non-major fields of any event on the PGA Tour.
Most of the eligible top-20 players of the world will be in attendance for this event.
Three previous winners of the API will not be in the field due to their defection to LIV Golf.
Bryson Dechambeau (2021), Marc Leishman (2017), and Phil Mickelson (1997) were suspended by the PGA Tour after teeing it up in LIV Golf events.
Tiger Woods winner of eight (’00, ’01, ’02, ’03, ’08, ’09, ’12, ’13) will not be in the field despite his return to the PGA Tour in last week’s Genesis Invitational.
Woods has not announced if he will play again prior to the Masters in early April.
Notables in the Field
| Jon Rahm | Scottie Scheffler | Rory McIlroy |
| Patrick Cantlay | Xander Schauffele | Will Zalatoris |
| Max Homa | Justin Thomas | Collin Morikawa |
| Viktor Hovland | Tony Finau | Matthew Fitzpatrick |
| Sam Burns | Tom Kim | Cameron Young |
| Jordan Speith | Sungjae Im | Shane Lowry |
| Billy Horschel | Keegan Bradley | Hideki Matsuyama |
| Brian Harman | Tommy Fleetwood | Tyrrell Hatton |
Players to Watch
Tony Finau
This will be Tony’s 5th trip to Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge.
In four previous trip Tony has two missed cuts and no top-25s. His best finish was 28th place in 2017.
In seven event to date on the PGA Tour seaason, Tony has six top-25s and just one missed cut.
The top-25s include three top-10s including a tin at the Cadence Bank Houston Open back in November.
Sahith Theegala
This will be Sahith’s second trip to Orlando for the API. He missed the cut in last year’s event.
In eleven events so far this PGA Tour Season, Sahith has six top-25 finishes with five of those being top-10s.
In official PGA Tour events Theegala’s best finish was a tie for secon place at the RSM Classic.
Sahith’s lone victory this season came at the QBE Shootout with partner Tom Hoge.
The QBE Shootout is an unofficial event on the PGA Tour, meaning that the event is sanctioned by the PGA Tour, but does not count in official records.
JJ Spaun
THis will be JJ’s fourth time competing in the API.
He’s made the cut in all three previous entries, and his best finish was 49th place in 2017.
in elevent events so far this season, JJ has six top-25 wins, which includes one top-10.
The lone top-10 finish was at Sentry Tournament of Champions when he finished tied for fifth place.
Joseph Bramlett
This will be Joseph’s first time in the API, however he has played Bay Hill once before in 2011 at the Viking Classic.
Joseph finished in 18th place at the Viking Classic after rounds of 70, 70, 67, and 66.
In twelve events so far this season Joseph has four top-25s, which includes two top-10s.
Bramlett’s best finish this season was a tie for seventh place at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, back in February.
Kamaiu Johnson
This will be Kamaiu’s first entry to the API.
Kamaiu received a sponsors invite to compete at Bay Hill this week.
He won the Tour Championship last year on the APGA Tour which allowed him to play in the PGA Tour latinoamerica.
In three starts on the PGA Tour LatinoAmerica Kamaiu has two top-50 finishes and a missed cut.
Tee Times
Tony Finau: Thursday – 12:34 PM; Friday – 7:44 AM
Theegala: Thursday – 7:16 AM; Friday – 12:06 PM
JJ Spaun: Thursday – 8:22 AM; Friday – 1:12 PM
Bramlett: Thursday – 7:11 AM; Friday – 12:01 PM
Johnson: Thursday – 1:29 PM; Friday – 8:39 AM
How to Watch
Thursday & Friday: 2 PM to 6 PM (Golf Channel)
Saturday & Sunday: 12:30 PM – 2:30 PM (Golf Channel); 2:30 PM to 6 PM (NBC)