ORLANDO, Fla. — The annual shifts of the PGA Tour schedule have not always been kind to the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
But the API seems to have again found its sweet spot and features a strong field with five of the top 10 players.
The retooled Florida Swing forced players to take breaks, rest up and forego even top events like the API. The WGC in Mexico City led a number of players to bypass a visit to Bay Hill to be fresh at the Players Championship the following week.
The WGC’s move to Memphis, Tenn., in August has been a game-changer.
The Florida Swing now features in succession the Honda Classic, API Players and Valspar Championship in Tampa.
“We’re in a traditional Florida Swing,” API tournament organizer Joie Chitwood said. “There’s so many things that go into a player’s schedule, whether it’s sponsor commitments, the way they train, the way they get to the highest level to perform. Most players want to play at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“To win an event that has Mr. Palmer’s name on it, a gentleman that really created sports marketing back in the day, in terms of being an ambassador for brands and being a special tournament ... that’s what really attracts them.”
A $12 million purse, including a $2.1 million winner’s check, and a three-year exemption will go to one of the 120 players in the field.
5 players to watch
— Jon Rahm: His first appearance at brawny Bay Hill is sure to test his stupendous tee-to-green game. The 27-year-old Spaniard leads the Tour in greens in regulation (78.03%) and is third in total strokes gained on the field and driving distance (319.6 yard average). Rahm, though, has been just so-so since he was 1-under on the weekend at Torrey Pines after opening 66-65. Blame his putter: Rahm lost 4.93 strokes to the field during the past eight rounds. If Rahm can find his stroke, he’s the class of a strong field.
— Matthew Fitzpatrick: He has a strong track record at Bay Hill, finishing second , T-9 and T-10 since 2019, and of late, with a T-6 and T-10 out West before falling ill. Coming off two weeks of rest, the 27-year-old Englishman looks to continue the recent trend of European winners at Bay Hill. Countryman Tyrrell Hatton became the first Englishman to win the API in 2020 and third straight European, joining Rory McIlroy (2018) and Italy’s Francesco Molinari (2019).
— Will Zalatoris: He has the requisite ball-striking ability to make the API his breakthrough PGA Tour win. The 25-year-old leads the Tour in strokes gained tee-to-green and is ninth in greens in regulation. A tepid closing 71 at Torrey Pines left him runner-up to Luke List but marked his third straight top-10 finish before a positive COVID-19 test forced him to withdraw at Pebble Beach. Zalatoris’ T-10 at the 2021 API was a harbinger of a runner-up finish at the Masters that put the northern California native on the map.
— Jason Kokrak: A surprising three-time winner during the 2020-21 season, Kokrak is finding his stride at age 36. Kokrak had never won on the PGA Tour prior to the career-changing, 13-month stretch. But he always has thrived at Bay Hill. Since 2014, Kokrak gained 1.49 strokes per round on the demanding layout, ranking fourth in the 2022 field with at least 24 rounds. He trails former winners McIlroy and Marc Leishman, along with Henrik Stenson, a final-round contender throughout the years.
— Keith Mitchell: The 30-year-old quietly is becoming one of the more consistent players. Five of his last six starts have ended with the former Georgia Bulldog in the top 12. His four top-10s are tied for tops on the Tour in 2021-22. Mitchell’s track record at Bay Hill already was impressive, with three top sixes in six starts, including a T-6 in 2019 and T-5 in 2021.
