ORLANDO, FL – Russell Henley etched his name into the history books at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, capturing the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational with a display of grit, precision, and clutch performance. The 35-year-old American golfer finished the tournament at 11-under par, securing his fifth PGA Tour title by a single stroke over runner-up Collin Morikawa.
The final round was a rollercoaster of drama under the Florida sun, with Bay Hill’s notoriously challenging layout testing the field’s best. Henley, who entered Sunday a stroke back of overnight leader Morikawa, carded a 2-under 70 in the final round, navigating the wind and firm greens with poise. His steady play stood out on a day when many contenders faltered, including Morikawa, who held a three-shot lead with five holes to play but lost momentum after a bogey on the 14th.
Henley’s path to victory was paved with consistency. After opening with a 72 on Thursday, he followed with a sparkling 68 on Friday to climb the leaderboard. A third-round 67 kept him in contention, setting the stage for Sunday’s showdown. Key moments in the final round included a birdie on the par-5 12th, a chip-in eagle on the par-5 16th and a critical par save on the 18th, where he sank a nervy 4-footer to seal the win.
“This place is special,” Henley said post-round. “To win here, at Arnie’s tournament, it’s a dream come true.”
The tournament, known for its brutal closing stretch dubbed the “Devil’s Triangle” (hole Nos. 16-18), lived up to its reputation. Several big names stumbled late, including Rory McIlroy, who faded with an even-par 72, and Scottie Scheffler, who couldn’t find the magic of his past Bay Hill dominance. Morikawa, however, kept the pressure on, until a couple of missteps on 14 and 16 handed Henley an opening.
Henley added, “Yeah, you know, I’ve grown up watching this event and just seeing all the amazing finishes coming down the stretch, and you never really think you’re going to get that opportunity to come down the 18th and make a par to win It’s really just hard to take in right now.
“It’s a tremendous honor, and that’s what’s so cool about this game, is to go play where all the legends have played.”
Henley, who moved to No. 7 in the Official World Golf Rankings, claimed his first victory since the 2022 World Wide Technology Championship, underscoring his resurgence on Tour. The $4 million winner’s check and 700 FedEx Cup points boost him to No. 1 on the Tour’s money list and No. 2 in the points race, signaling he’ll be a force as the majors loom.
Arnold Palmer Invitational
Final Leaderboard: Top 10
Pos-Player-Score (Final Rd)
1. Russell Henley -11 (-2)
2. Collin Morikawa -10 (E)
3. Corey Conners -9 (-1)
4. Michael Kim -8 (-3)
5. Keegan Bradley -7 (-8)
5. Sepp Straka -7 (-3)
7. Shane Lowry -6 (-2)
8. Byeong Hun An -5 (-4)
8. Justin Rose -5 (-3)
8. Jason Day -5 (+2)
Credit: PGA Tour Media, Getty Images, Grok
