2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational Primer: History, TV, Field, Odds

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Rickie Fowler Arnold Palmer Invitational
Rickie Fowler on 16 tee during round final of the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Mar 8, 2020, at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Fla. (Photo by Andrew Bershaw / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Staying in the Sunshine State, the PGA Tour heads north from Palm Beach to Orlando for the 57th edition of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, the second stop on its four-stop Florida Swing.

As the final tuneup before next week’s PLAYERS Championship, the Arnold Palmer will feature a strong field, featuring a slew of top-ranked players, headlined by world No. 1 Jon Rahm, No. 5 Rory McIlroy and reigning Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama (No. 11).

Other marquee names include Patrick Reed, Adam Scott, Justin Rose, Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia.

As we do each week, let’s take a look at the history, field, stats and other factoids as we prepare for what should be an exciting week of PGA Tour golf in Orlando.


The Skinny

Arnold Palmer Invitational
Dates: Mar. 3-6, 2022
PGA Tour Debut: 1966
PGA TOUR Week: 18th (of 43)
Course: Bay Hill
Where: Orlando, Fla.
Distance: Par 72/7454 yards
Architect: Dick Wilson, Joe Lee (1961)
Field: 120 players
Format: Stroke, 72-holes
Cut: 36 holes
Purse: $12,000,000
Winning Share: $2,160,000
FedExCup Pts: 550
OWGR Pts: 64
2021 Champion: Bryson DeChambeau


How to Follow the Arnold Palmer Invitational

Marc Leishman Arnold Palmer Invitational
Marc Leishman on 17 green during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge on Mar 8, 2020 in Orlando, Fla. (Photo by Keyur Khamar / PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

TELEVISION: Thu-Fri: 2-6 p.m. (GOLF); Sat-Sun: 12:30-2:30 p.m. (GOLF), 2:30-6 p.m. (NBC)

PGA TOUR LIVE (ESPN+): Thu-Fri: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m.

RADIO: Thu-Fri: 12-6 p.m.; Sat: 1-6 p.m.; Sun: 1-6:30 p.m. (PGA TOUR Radio on SiriusXM)
All times Eastern

LINKS: Website | Instagram | Twitter | Facebook


API History

Arnold Palmer Invitational Statue
A view of the new Arnold Palmer statue during a practice round for the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill on Mar 14, 2017 in Orlando, FL. Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

The tournament that is now the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard started in 1966 as the Florida Citrus Open Invitational. The inaugural event was won by Lionel Hebert, who posted a 5-under par 279 and edged Charles Coody, Dick Lytle and a 26-year old Jack Nicklaus by two strokes.

Hebert took home a check for $21,000, exactly $18 less than what six players earned ($21,018) for finishing tied for 57th place at last year’s Arnold Palmer.

While the Arnold Palmer name has only titled the tournament since 2007, the event has been held at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, also known as “Arnie’s Place,” since 1979.

Since that time (1979), the tournament has had a number of different title sponsors and names, most of them including “Bay Hill.” The longest of those sponsors has been Mastercard, which has held the presenting slot since 2004, first as the Bay Hill Invitational (2004-2006), and then as the Arnold Palmer Invitational (2007-present).

Early tournament winners, alongside Hebert, included legends such as Julius Boros (1967), Palmer himself (1971), Lee Trevino (1975), Hale Irwin (1976), and Tom Kite (1982).

Modern day winners have included the likes of Ernie Els, Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson, Jason Day, Rory McIlroy, and eight-time champ Tiger Woods.

As an “invitational,” the Arnold Palmer has a smaller, more exclusive field (120 players), and offers a three-year PGA Tour exemption to the winner (as opposed to the standard two), along with 550 FedExCup points (instead of 500). Invitationals also award the largest purses (now $12 million) on tour, excluding majors.

History: Tournament Titles
  • Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard (2007-Present)
  • Bay Hill Invitational Presented by Mastercard (2004-2006)
  • Bay Hill Invitational Presented by Cooper Tires (1999-2003)
  • Bay Hill Invitational Presented by Office Depot (1996-98)
  • Nestle Invitational (1989-95)
  • Hertz Bay Hill Classic (1985-88)
  • Bay Hill Classic (1980-84)
  • Bay Hill Citrus Classic (1979)
  • Florida Citrus Open (1972-78)
  • Florida Citrus Invitational (1970-71)
  • Florida Citrus Open Invitational (1966-69)
History: Recent Winner

2021: Bryson DeChambeau (-11)
2020: Tyrrell Hatton (-4)
2019: Francesco Molinari (-12)
2018: Rory McIlroy (-18)
2017: Marc Leishman (-11)
2016: Jason Day (-17)

History: Records

SCORING
264 (-20) Payne Stewart, 1987
-23 (265) Buddy Allin, 1973

WINS:
8 – Tiger Woods (2000-03, 2008-09, 2012-13)


The Vault: API 2021

Bryson DeChambeau Wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Bryson DeChambeau takes an iron out of his bag on the 10th hole tee during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club on Mar 7, 2021 in Orlando, FL.. (Photo by Keyur Khamar/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Bryson DeChambeau shot a 1-under par 71 on Sunday at Bay Hill to claim a one-shot victory at the 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

DeChambeau, who entered Sunday’s finale one shot behind overnight leader Lee Westwood, finished his final round at Bay Hill with one bogey, two birdies, and 15 pars, including a final-hole knee knocker to clinch the title on 11-under par.

“I’m glad I made that last putt. I did not want to go into a playoff,” said DeChambeau, who drained a 5-foot par putt to avoid a playoff.

“I took a little extra time on that because I knew that ball was aimed a little too far right and sure enough it was. I took a deep breath was able to execute and knock it in.”

The victory was the second of the 2021 season (U.S. Open) for the 27-year-old Californian, and the eighth of his young PGA Tour career.

Final Top 5

Pos-Player-To Par (Final Rd)
Pos-Player-To Par (Final Rd)
1. Bryson DeChambeau -11 (-1)
2. Lee Westwood -10 (+1)
3. Corey Conners -8 (+3)
4. Andrew Putnam -6 (-1)
4. Richy Werenski -6 (+1)
4. Jordan Spieth -6 (+3)


The API Field

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy reacts after making a birdie putt on the 18th hole during the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club on Mar 18, 2018 in Orlando, FL. Photo by Keyur Khamar/Getty Images via PGA TOUR
The Arnold Palmer Invitational features a solidly representative field of the world’s best players, with three of the Official World Golf Ranking’s current top 5 teeing it up, including world No. 1 Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland (4) and Rory McIlroy (5), the 2018 API winner.

Scottie Scheffler (6), Hideki Matsuyama (11) and Sam Burns (16) are the other top-20 ranked names.

Additional marquee draws, ranked in the top-30, include Billy Horschel (22), Tyrrell Hatton (23), Sungjae Im (24),Matthew Fitzpatrick (No. 25), Jason Kokrak (26), Paul Casey (27), Patrick Reed (28), Kevin Na (29) and Will Zalatoris (30).

Veteran major champions Sergio Garcia, Justin Rose, Zach Johnson, Jason Day, Gary Woodland, Henrik Stenson and Keegan Bradley are some of the other familiar names.

Top-5 Betting Favorites

Rank-Player-Odds
1. Jon Rahm (9-1)
2. Rory McIlroy (12-1)
3. Viktor Hovland (16-1)
4. Scottie Scheffler (18-1)
5. Hideki Matsuyama (22-1)

Full Field: Odds To Win

Bay Hill Club & Lodge | Orlando, FL | Mar 4-7, 2021


Credits: PGA Tour Media, Getty Images


Joel Cook contributed to this preview.


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