Arnold Palmer Invitational Preview

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As is often the case the Arnold Palmer Invitational kickstarts the Florida swing and signals the start of the most exciting part of the golf season. 

The fourth signature event of the season, for the first time this year all of the PGA Tour’s big guns are set to be in attendance as they battle for the lucrative first place prize. Set to be played at the iconic setting of Bay Hill, Bay Hill is synonymous with one of the game’s greatest names, Arnold Palmer. 

One of the most prestigious events that can be won on the PGA Tour, here is everything that you need to know.

The course 

Bay Hill has been a fixture on the PGA Tour since the 60’s but it wasn’t until 1976 that it burst onto prominence when the legendary Arnold Palmer bought the course and upgraded it to the championship course that we recognise today. 

A par 72 that measures at just over 7,400 yards, Bay Hill contains a plethora of water and narrow fairways that will be a challenge for any player. 

Arguably the most famous hole on the course is the par 5 sixth. Measuring at over 500 yards, the fifth is shaped in a giant u, with water dominating the middle. Deemed as a tricky par 5, Bryson DeChambeau made the hole famous when he decided to hit his tee-shot directly over the water. Carrying the ball well over 300 yards, the DeChambeau line made a mockery of the hole’s distance and offered up an eagle opportunity that many felt wasn’t possible. 

Although distance will be key this week, accuracy is the one statistic that rules above all else and it isn’t a surprise that Scottie Scheffler will head to Bay Hill as the tournament’s defending champion. 

Over the years some huge names have saved their best to win this title and it’s usually a tournament that brings out the very best of the game’s best players. With every man in the field wanting to find their best ahead of the Players Championship and the Masters, we can expect plenty of fireworks this week.

The course


The favourites 

To nobody’s surprise the favourite for victory this week is Scottie Scheffler. 

Scheffler has now become a fixture at the top of the golf world rankings and there is a feeling that if Scheffler plays well, very few in the game can stop him. 

Last year’s Arnold Palmer was one of the eight tournaments that Scheffler was able to win and he will  fully believe that he will once again be able to finish on top of the pile. 

Through the first few months of the season it’s hard to make out the state of Scheffler’s game. Yet to win a title, judged by the remarkably high standards that he has set himself, it has to be considered somewhat of a drought and he will hope to end that this week. 

It’s not all doom and gloom for Scheffler backers as despite not yet winning in 2025, he has two top ten finishes out of the three events that he has played and despite still working his way back from that nagging hand injury, his game is where he will want it to be. 

Unable to quite string four solid rounds together so far this season, he will hope that he can play his best golf of the year at a venue he clearly loves. 

Rory McIlroy is another former champion of this world famous tournament and he will arrive at Bay Hill confident that he can win a second signature event of the season. 

Once again the top dog in European golf thanks to his third consecutive Race to Dubai title, McIlroy has kept up his good form through 2025 and will hope to be a feature this week. 

Despite a raft of hugely talented new young golfers, there still isn’t anyone on the PGA Tour who contains as much natural talent and ball striking ability as McIlroy and when he can piece it together just like he did at Pebble Beach earlier in the season, few can stand in his way. 

As is now common practice for McIlroy, we are approaching the time of the year where many discuss whether the four time Major winner will finally be able to complete the career Grand Slam and win the Masters.

McIlroy has tried many different strategies as he attempts to win at Augusta but the one thing he will always want to do is arrive at Augusta bang in form, and a win this week will go a long way in achieving that feat. 

He has been selective with his schedule so far this season and after winning in California he has only played at the Genesis where he finished in a tie for 17th.

He will want to return to the business end of proceedings and course form can go a long way this week, few would be surprised if he were to find his way back into contention this week. 

Rounding out the top three in the betting this week is Ludvig Aberg and like McIlroy, the Swede is searching for his second signature event of the season following his dramatic one shot win at the Genesis Invitational. 

Now ranked four in the world, Aberg has had a taste of winning the best tournaments on the PGA Tour and he will want to stamp his class over the field once more with another win this week. 

Aberg is a ferocious driver of the ball and with a swing that is smooth and is regarded as the best swing in the game it can also be deadly accurate. With accuracy being crucial this week, there are lots of signs that point towards this being another big week for the Swede and there is a fantastic chance that he will find himself in the reckoning once again. 

The favourites


Other names to keep an eye on

With much value to be found this week, there are several other big names that could be worth following with interest.

Priced at 18/1 for victory this week, Collin Morikawa looks to have a great chance of victory. Having helped lead his side LA Golf Club to the number one seed position in the TGL playoffs, Morikawa has so far ruled in the arena and he will hope to bring that form onto the course. 

Now ranked fifth in the world, Morikawa started the season great with a second place finish at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, since then he has posted two top twenty efforts at both the AT&T and Genesis. He would have hoped for better at both venues and should turn up to Bay Hill looking to make a significant impact. 

Accuracy is Morikawa’s game and he will hope to have it on full display this week. 

Making his first start of the season is Xander Schauffele. Having been off the course due to a nagging rib injury, the Californian will be keen to make up for lost time and immediately get himself back into the winner’s circle. 

Last year was Schauffele’s coming out party. The winner of both the PGA Championship and Open, every time that he teed it up he looked capable of winning and he will hope to continue that trend this season. Whilst winning at Bay Hill after having not played competitively for so long will be a real challenge, if there is one man who can come out on top and change that narrative it’s Schauffele.