Staying in the Sunshine State, the PGA Tour heads north from Palm Beach to Orlando for the 60th edition of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, the second stop on its four-event Florida Swing.
As the season’s fourth “Signature” event, and final tune up before next week’s PLAYERS Championship, the Arnold Palmer will feature a stout field, headlined by a slew of top-ranked tour players, including recent Bay Hill winners Scottie Scheffler (2022 and 2024) and Rory McIlroy (2018).
Other marquee names include Ludvig Aberg, Justin Thomas, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa, among others.
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:Â Mar 6-9, 2025
PGA Tour Debut: 1966
PGA TOUR Week: 10th (of 34)
Course:Â Bay Hill
Where: Orlando, Fla.
Distance: Par 72/7466 yards
Architect: Dick Wilson, Joe Lee (1961)
Field: 72 players
Format: Stroke, 72-holes
Cut After: 36 holes/
Cut Policy: low 50 (+ties) and anyone w/in 10 strokes
Purse: $20,000,000
Winning Share: $4,000,000
2024 Champion:Â Scottie Scheffler
How to Follow the Arnold Palmer Invitational
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: Thu-Fri: 7 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sat: 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m.; Sun: 7:15 a.m.-6 p.m. (ESPN+)
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
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, Bryson DeChambeau, two-time winner Scottie Scheffler, and eight-time champ Tiger Woods.
The API is one of three invitationals attached to three PGA Tour icons: Arnold Palmer (API), Jack Nicklaus (the Memorial) and Tiger Woods (Genesis).
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
2024: Scottie Scheffler (-15)
2023: Kurt Kitayama (-9)
2022: Scottie Scheffler (-5)
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 API Field
The Arnold Palmer Invitational features most of the tour’s top-ranked players, including No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, the 2022 and 2024 champion.
Rory McIlroy, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schaffele, Ludvig Aberg, Hideki Matsuyama, Justin Thomas, and Collin Morikawa are some of the other marquee favorites.
Additional familiar top-ranked names include Viktor Hovland, Tony Finau, Shane Lowry, Jordan Spieth and Jason Day, among others.
Former API winners in the field include Scheffler (2022, 2024), McIlroy (2018), and Day (2016).
Top-5 Betting Favorites
Rank-Player-Odds
1. Scottie Scheffler (4-1)
2. Rory McIlroy (8-1)
3. Ludvig Aberg (14-1)
4. Xander Schauffele (18-1)
5. Collin Morikawa (20-1)
5. Justin Thomas (20-1)
Full Field: Odds To Win
Bay Hill Club & Lodge | Orlando, FL | Mar 6-9, 2025
Credits: PGA Tour Media, Getty Images
Joel Cook contributed to this preview.
