Blog#122 Preview  Arnold Palmer Invitational

Blog#122 Preview  Arnold Palmer Invitational

Mar 7 to 10, 2024 Par 72

Bay Hill Club & Lodge Orlando FL

Purse $20M same as last year

HISTORY

This will be the 4th signature event of 2024.  It started as the Florida Citrus Open in 1966 and was renamed for Palmer in 2007.  Since 2016 the winner receives a red cardigan sweater, Palmer’s favorite outerwear.  Last years winner was Kurt Kitayama-9 who is 80/1 to repeat.

I think the winner will break the streak of the previous 9 tournaments won by non favorites. 

FAVORITES  MY RATING appears after/

1/5 Scottie Scheffler 6/1 Finished 10th at Genesis putting getting better won in 2022-5.  

2/9 Rory McIlroy 8.5/1 Putting and iron game hurt him at Cognizant 2nd in 2023-8

3/6 Viktor Hovland 12/1 Pretty rusty and did not play well at Genesis 2nd in 2022-4

4/1 Xander Schauffele 14/1 Has not won in over a year but I keep picking him.

5/2 Patrick Cantlay 16/1 Same as Schauffele has not played well this year 4th in 2023-7

6/3 Ludvig Aberg 20/1 He may be a good bet to win with the odds.

7/7Jordan Spieth 20/1 Game too inconsistent must stay away from bogies 4th in 2023-7  

8/8 Colin Morikawa 20/1 He must improve his putting to win.

9/10 Sam Burns 22/1 You never know who is going to show up with this guy.

10/4 Justin Thomas 22/1 His game keeps getting better he may pull this off.

PREDICTED LONGSHOTS

Cameron Young 33/1 He keeps hanging around in every tournament but still has not won. 

Will Zalatoris 35/1 Strong Genesis finished 2nd he could be a great bet.

Tom Kim 55/1 Does not seem to have the magic he had in his first year and Presidents Cup.

Jake Knapp 90/1 With a win and 4th place in his last 2 tournaments, anything can happen.

Shane Lowry 100/1 He looked like a winner last week until a few bogies and Eckroat took over.

The 18th hole at Bay Hill is a 441 yard par 4.  Arguably one of the very best finishing holes in all of golf.  The fairway seems wide but the tee shot has to be left center to avoid water.  

A lake guards the entire right side of the kidney shaped green and 3 bunkers to the left.