ORLANDO – Spain’s Jon Rahm closed his round eagle-birdie-birdie to take the 18-hole lead/co-lead for the 11th time on the PGA Tour. When holding the first round led, he’s converted three of 10 on the season, winning the 2018 American Express, the 2022 Mexico Open and the 2023 Sentry Tournament of Champions). Rahm is seeking his fourth title in his seventh start this season.
The 2022 winner and reigning PGA TOUR Player of the Year Scottie Scheffler is making his second of four starts as the defending champion in a nine-week stretch, and successfully defended his title during the first opportunity (WM Phoenix Open). The last player to successfully defend multiple titles in a season was Tiger Woods, who did so four times in 2007 (Farmers Insurance Open, PGA Championship, WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, WGC-CA Championship).
The 2018 winner and reigning FedExCup Champion Rory McIlroy is making his ninth consecutive start at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and has finished worse than T13 just once (T27/2016). McIlroy’s Scoring Average of 70.31 at the event is the second-lowest of any player on record (1983-present) with a minimum of 20 rounds played, behind only eight-time champion Tiger Woods(69.97). McIlroy has been the first-round leader/co-leader each of the last two years at the event. The last player to hold the 18-hole lead/co-lead at the same tournament three years in a row was Tiger Woods at the Deutsche Bank Championship in 2004, 2005 and 2006.
Chris Kirk won The Honda Classic Sunday, earning his fifth PGA TOUR title and first since the 2015 Charles Schwab Challenge. Kirk is one of two players with top-10s in each of the last two years at the Arnold Palmer Invitationalpresented by Mastercard (T-8/2021, T-5/2022), along with Matt Fitzpatrick.
Arnold Palmer‘s Bay Hill Club & Lodge was the most difficult course on the PGA Tour during the 2021-22 season among non-majors, playing to an average of 1.886 over par.
Most difficult courses on the PGA TOUR in 2021-22
- +2.507 The Country Club U.S. Open
- +2.458 Southern Hills Country Club PGA Championship
- +1.951 Augusta National Golf Club Masters Tournament
- +1.886 Bay Hill Club & Lodge Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard
Arnold Palmer Invitational | Tournament Facts
COURSE: Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
YARDS/PAR: 7,466 yards/Par 72
ARCHITECTS: Dick Wilson\Joe Lee
PRIZE Money – Purse: $20,000,000 with Winner: $3,600,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Scottie Scheffler
PAST RESULTS: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 550
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @APInv and @PuertoRicoOpen