Blog#219 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Blog#219 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Mar 6-9, 2025 Par 72

Bay Hill Club & Lodge Orlando FL

Purse $20M same as last yr.

HISTORY

The forth signature event of the year and the best filled yet. Xander Schauffele playing his first of the year having been out with a rib injury. Scottie Scheffler will be trying for his 3rd win in a row, and probably will. It is really the start of the most competitive part of the season when 4 big tournaments worth $80M will take place in the next 7 weeks. This one, The Players next week and The Masters a month later followed by the RBC Heritage.

FAVORITES

1 Scottie Scheffler 3.5/1 It would hard to bet against him, played well this year.

2 Rory McIlroy 8/1 Won Pebble Beach and in the Genesis thru 3, could win.

3 Ludvig Aberg 14/1 Took over in final RD at Genesis to make $4M.

Hard to believer that anyone can beat these 3.

4 Xander Schauffele 16/1 Has not played enough to win.

5 Collin Morikawa 20/1 his inconsistent putting prevents him form winning.

6 Justin Thomas 22/1 Seems to have found his game but bogies a problem.

7 Patrick Cantlay 25/1 Has shown positive signs but not consistent enough.

8 H. Matsuyama 30/1 Won Sentry in Jan with Morikawa another 2nd pace.

9 Tommy Fleetwood 30/1 Still looking for his 1st PGA win but not with this field.

10 SJ Im 40/1 He is too up and down placed 3rd at Sentry then missed cut at AMXP.

MY WINNER

As stated I think the top 3 are playing better than anyone and 1 will win.

LONG-SHOTS

1 Daniel Berger 55/1 Looked good early last week but finished 25th, could sneak in.

2 Jayson Day 75/1 Has played well in fall and start this year and knows how to win.

3 Ben Griffin 80/1 Went from #48 in 1st RD to finish 4th with 4 bogies in RD4.

4 Max Greyserman 95/1 He has been finishing well and I think he will win this year.

5 Joe Highsmith 135/1 If he can carry forward the last 2 RDs of last week who knows?

COMMENTARY

Both Ricky Fowler and Jordan Spieth were not offered Sponsor exemptions. They both played well last week and are still 2 of the most popular players on tour. There were 5 exemptions given, one to Rafeal Campos who won the Bermuda Championship last November to keep his PGA card. He is the first Puerto Rican since Chi Chi Rodriguez to win a PGA event (see ogolfit.com blog #189) but it just so happens that the Puerto Rican Open is also being held this weekend. Does it not make more sense to have him play in front of his home crowd where he could win that tournament and invite him to the next signature event in 6 weeks?

Sponsor’s Exemption picked with FedX Points & 2025 $ earned.

Jordan Spieth #54 $709K 31 years old , 1st win Masters in 2015 the US Open and Tour Champioinship, 13 PGA wins including THE OPEN 2017 only missing PGA for grand slam.

J Rose #33 $1.2M 44 year old English 11 PGA wins 2016 Olympic Gold Us Open 2013

at Merion 2023 Pebble Beach and has earned Sponsor’s exemption.

M W Lee #55 $708K Australian turned pro in 2019 0 PGA wins and 0 top 10s in 2025.

Mackenzie Hughes #127 $250K Two PGA wins 0 wins or top 10s 2025.

R Campos #151 $84K On tour since 2020 earned $3.2M , 2025 0 wins 0 top 10s.

Jackson Koivun sophmore at Auburn who won the Arnold Palmer Cup Award.