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Arnold Palmer Invitational

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The Arnold Palmer Invitational is a professional golf tournament on the PGA Tour. It is played each March at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, a private golf resort owned since 1974 by Arnold Palmer in Bay Hill, a suburb southwest of Orlando, Florida.

Arnold Palmer Invitational
Tournament information
LocationBay Hill, Florida
Established1966
Course(s)Bay Hill Club and Lodge
Par72
Length7,466 yards (6,827 m)
Tour(s)PGA Tour
FormatStroke play
Prize fundUS$20,000,000
Month playedMarch
Tournament record score
Aggregate264 Payne Stewart (1987)
To par−23 Buddy Allin (1973)
Current champion
United States Scottie Scheffler
Location map
Bay Hill is located in the United States
Bay Hill
Bay Hill
Location in the United States
Bay Hill is located in Florida
Bay Hill
Bay Hill
Location in Florida

The event was founded in 1979 as a successor to the Florida Citrus Open Invitational, which debuted in 1966 and was played at Rio Pinar Country Club, east of Orlando, through 1978. Arnold Palmer won the Florida Citrus Open in 1971.

Since 1979, the tournament title has had several different names, most of them including "Bay Hill," but has played under the Palmer name since 2007. On March 21, 2012, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and MasterCard Worldwide announced an extension to MasterCard's "Presented by" sponsorship until the 2016 tournament.[1][2]

In June 2014, the PGA Tour approved a resolution to grant the winner a three-year exemption, one more than regular Tour events and on par with winners of the World Golf Championships, The Tour Championship, and the Memorial Tournament.[3]

The winner receives a red cardigan sweater in memory of Arnold Palmer, a tradition that began with the 2017 tournament after Palmer's death in 2016.[4]

In 2019, the event was added to the Open Qualifying Series, giving up to three non-exempt players entry into The Open Championship.[5]

Invitational status

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The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour. Consequently, it has a reduced field of only 69 players in 2024 (as compared to most full-field open tournaments with fields of 144 or 156 players). The other four tournaments with invitational status are the Genesis Invitational, RBC Heritage, the Fort Worth Invitational, and the Memorial Tournament. Invitational tournaments have smaller fields (between 69 and 132 players) and have more freedom than full-field open tournaments in determining which players are eligible to participate in their event, as invitational tournaments are not required to fill their fields using the PGA Tour Priority Ranking System. Furthermore, unlike full-field open tournaments, invitational tournaments do not offer open qualifying (aka Monday qualifying).

Field

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The field consists of 120 players invited using the following criteria:[6]

  1. Arnold Palmer Invitational winners before 2000 and in the last five years
  2. The Players Championship and major championship winners in the last five years
  3. The Tour Championship, World Golf Championships, and Memorial Tournament winners in the past three years
  4. Tournament winners in the past year
  5. Playing member of last-named U.S. Ryder Cup team; current PGA Tour members who were playing members on last named European Ryder Cup team, U.S. Presidents Cup team, and International Presidents Cup team
  6. Prior year U.S. Amateur winner (if still an amateur)
  7. Top 50 Official World Golf Ranking (as of Friday prior)
  8. PGA Tour life members
  9. 18 sponsors exemptions– two from Web.com Tour finals, eight members not otherwise exempt, and eight unrestricted
  10. Up to two foreign players designated by the commissioner
  11. Top 70 from prior year's FedEx Cup points list
  12. Members in the top 125 non-member category whose prior year non-WGC points equal or exceed the 70th position on the prior year FedEx Cup points list
  13. Top 70 from current year's FedEx Cup points list (as of Friday prior)
  14. PGA Section (North Florida) champion/player of the year
  15. Remaining positions filled from the current year's FedEx Cup points list

Arnold Palmer had a lifetime invitation.

Tournament highlights

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Tyrrell Hatton with the trophy after winning in 2020.
  • 1966: Lionel Hebert wins the inaugural version of the tournament. He wins by two shots over Jack Nicklaus, Charles Coody, and Dick Lytle.[7]
  • 1968: Dan Sikes breaks out of a 5-way logjam to win by one shot over Tom Weiskopf. At the end of 54 holes, Sikes had been tied for the lead with Jack Nicklaus, Bruce Devlin, Miller Barber, and Bob Charles. Officials said this was the first time there had ever been a five-way tie for the lead after 54 holes at a PGA event.[8]
  • 1971: Arnold Palmer wins the event eight years before he becomes its host. He beats Julius Boros by one shot.[9]
  • 1973: Vietnam War veteran Buddy Allin shoots a tournament record 23 under par to breeze to an eight-shot victory over Charles Coody.[10]
  • 1974: Jerry Heard becomes the tournament's first two-time winner. He beats Homero Blancas and Jim Jamieson by two shots.[11]
  • 1976: Early on a Monday morning, Hale Irwin defeats Kermit Zarley on the sixth hole of a sudden death playoff after play was suspended due to darkness on Sunday.[12] While speaking to the press on Sunday evening, Irwin blamed NBC Sports for there not being enough time to finish the playoff.[13]
  • 1979: Bob Byman wins the tournament's first edition to be played at Bay Hill. He defeats John Schroeder on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.[14]
  • 1980: Dave Eichelberger wins by three shots over Leonard Thompson.[15] The temperatures were so cold that Eichelberger wore pantyhose during the final round.[16]
  • 1982: Tom Kite chips in for birdie on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat Jack Nicklaus and Denis Watson.[17]
  • 1984: Gary Koch shoots a final round 63 before defeating George Burns on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. Koch is the only champion in the tournament's history to win both at Rio Pinar and Bay Hill.[18]
  • 1985: Coming off back surgery less than six months previously, Fuzzy Zoeller wins at Bay Hill. He finishes two shots ahead of Tom Watson.[19]
  • 1987: Payne Stewart, who owned a home just off Bay Hill's 12th tee, notches his third career PGA Tour title. He beats David Frost by three shots.[20]
  • 1989: Tom Kite wins for a second time at Bay Hill by defeating Davis Love III on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. Before the playoff, Kite and Love made a double bogey on the tournament's 72nd hole.[21]
  • 1990: Robert Gamez holes a 7-iron on the 72nd hole for an eagle two allowing him to win by one shot over Greg Norman.[22]
  • 1992: Fred Couples wins by nine shots over Gene Sauers. With his win, Couples becomes the #1 ranked player in the world.[23]
  • 1995: Loren Roberts becomes the first returning champion to defend his title successfully. He beats Brad Faxon by two shots.[24]
  • 1996: Paul Goydos wins for the first time on the PGA Tour. He beats Jeff Maggert by one shot and Tom Purtzer by two.[25] During the tournament's second round, Purtzer incurred a two-shot penalty by playing the wrong ball.
  • 1998: During the tournament's final round, John Daly hit six balls in the water on the sixth hole. He finishes the hole with a final score of 18.[26]
  • 2000: Tiger Woods wins at Bay Hill for the first time. He beats Davis Love III by four shots.[27]
  • 2003: Tiger Woods becomes the first golfer since Gene Sarazen at the 1930 Miami Open to win the same tournament in four consecutive years. He wins by 11 shots over Kirk Triplett, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, and Brad Faxon.[28]
  • 2005: Kenny Perry wins by two shots over Vijay Singh and Graeme McDowell. Perry and Singh were tied for the lead until Singh made a double bogey at the 72nd hole.[29]
  • 2008: Tiger Woods sinks a 25-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to defeat Bart Bryant by one shot.[30] It's Wood's fifth Bay Hill triumph in addition to his winning the fifth consecutive tournament he had played in.
  • 2009: Tiger Woods wins at Bay Hill for the 2nd straight year and sixth time overall. He birdies the 72nd hole to defeat Sean O'Hair by one shot.[31]
  • 2012: Tiger Woods wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the seventh time, ending a winless streak on the PGA Tour dating back 27 events to September 13, 2009.[32]
  • 2013: Tiger Woods wins for a record-tying eighth time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational while holing three eagles during the week, the first time a player has accomplished the feat since 2001; he ascends to the number 1 ranking for the first time since October 2010.[33]
  • 2014: With world number one Woods out of the tournament, the focus was on world number two Adam Scott. Scott led the first three rounds, but struggled in the fourth round, finishing third behind Keegan Bradley and first-time PGA Tour winner Matt Every.
  • 2015: Matt Every holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to beat Henrik Stenson by one shot and become the third golfer to defend his title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In the third round, Daniel Berger recorded a double eagle at the par-5 6th hole, the first since the tournament moved to Bay Hill in 1979. Zach Johnson repeated the feat in the final round on the par-5 16th.[34][35]

Course layout

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Main article: Bay Hill Club and Lodge
Hole 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Out 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 In Total
Yards 461 231 434 590 390 555 199 460 480 3,800 400 438 574 370 215 467 511 221 458 3,654 7,454
Par 4 3 4 5 4 5 3 4 4 36 4 4 5 4 3 4 5 3 4 36 72

Source:[36]

Winners

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Year Winner Score To par Margin of
victory		 Runner(s)-up Purse
($)		 Winner's
share ($)
Arnold Palmer Invitational
2024   Scottie Scheffler (2) 273 −15 5 strokes   Wyndham Clark 20,000,000 4,000,000
2023   Kurt Kitayama 279 −9 1 stroke   Harris English
  Rory McIlroy		 20,000,000 3,600,000
2022   Scottie Scheffler 283 −5 1 stroke   Tyrrell Hatton
  Billy Horschel
  Viktor Hovland		 12,000,000 2,160,000
2021   Bryson DeChambeau 277 −11 1 stroke   Lee Westwood 9,300,000 1,674,000
2020   Tyrrell Hatton 284 −4 1 stroke   Marc Leishman 9,300,000 1,674,000
2019   Francesco Molinari 276 −12 2 strokes   Matt Fitzpatrick 9,100,000 1,638,000
2018   Rory McIlroy 270 −18 3 strokes   Bryson DeChambeau 8,900,000 1,602,000
2017   Marc Leishman 277 −11 1 stroke   Charley Hoffman
  Kevin Kisner		 8,700,000 1,566,000
2016   Jason Day 271 −17 1 stroke   Kevin Chappell 6,300,000 1,134,000
2015   Matt Every (2) 269 −19 1 stroke   Henrik Stenson 6,300,000 1,134,000
2014   Matt Every 275 −13 1 stroke   Keegan Bradley 6,200,000 1,116,000
2013   Tiger Woods (8) 275 −13 2 strokes   Justin Rose 6,200,000 1,116,000
2012   Tiger Woods (7) 275 −13 5 strokes   Graeme McDowell 6,000,000 1,080,000
2011   Martin Laird 280 −8 1 stroke   Steve Marino 6,000,000 1,080,000
2010   Ernie Els (2) 277 −11 2 strokes   Edoardo Molinari
  Kevin Na		 6,000,000 1,080,000
2009   Tiger Woods (6) 275 −5 1 stroke   Sean O'Hair 6,000,000 1,080,000
2008   Tiger Woods (5) 270 −10 1 stroke   Bart Bryant 5,800,000 1,044,000
2007   Vijay Singh 272 −8 2 strokes   Rocco Mediate 5,500,000 990,000
Bay Hill Invitational
2006   Rod Pampling 274 −14 1 stroke   Greg Owen 5,500,000 990,000
2005   Kenny Perry 276 −12 2 strokes   Graeme McDowell
  Vijay Singh		 5,000,000 900,000
2004   Chad Campbell 270 −18 6 strokes   Stuart Appleby 5,000,000 900,000
2003   Tiger Woods (4) 269 −19 11 strokes   Stewart Cink
  Brad Faxon
  Kenny Perry
  Kirk Triplett		 4,500,000 810,000
2002   Tiger Woods (3) 275 −13 4 strokes   Michael Campbell 4,000,000 720,000
2001   Tiger Woods (2) 273 −15 1 stroke   Phil Mickelson 3,500,000 630,000
2000   Tiger Woods 270 −18 4 strokes   Davis Love III 3,000,000 540,000
1999   Tim Herron 274 −14 Playoff   Tom Lehman 2,500,000 450,000
1998   Ernie Els 274 −14 4 strokes   Bob Estes
  Jeff Maggert		 2,000,000 360,000
1997   Phil Mickelson 272 −16 3 strokes   Stuart Appleby 1,500,000 270,000
1996   Paul Goydos 275 −13 1 stroke   Jeff Maggert 1,200,000 216,000
Nestle Invitational
1995   Loren Roberts (2) 272 −16 2 strokes   Brad Faxon 1,200,000 216,000
1994   Loren Roberts 275 −13 1 stroke   Nick Price
  Vijay Singh
  Fuzzy Zoeller		 1,200,000 216,000
1993   Ben Crenshaw 280 −8 2 strokes   Davis Love III
  Rocco Mediate
  Vijay Singh		 1,000,000 180,000
1992   Fred Couples 269 −19 9 strokes   Gene Sauers 1,000,000 180,000
1991   Andrew Magee 203[a] −13 2 strokes   Tom Sieckmann 1,000,000 180,000
1990   Robert Gamez 274 −14 1 stroke   Greg Norman 900,000 162,000
1989   Tom Kite (2) 278 −6 Playoff   Davis Love III 800,000 144,000
Hertz Bay Hill Classic
1988   Paul Azinger 271 −13 5 strokes   Tom Kite 750,000 135,000
1987   Payne Stewart 264 −20 3 strokes   David Frost 600,000 108,000
1986   Dan Forsman 202[a] −11 1 stroke   Raymond Floyd
  Mike Hulbert		 500,000 90,000
1985   Fuzzy Zoeller 275 −9 2 strokes   Tom Watson 500,000 90,000
Bay Hill Classic
1984   Gary Koch (2) 272 −12 Playoff   George Burns 400,000 72,000
1983   Mike Nicolette 283 −1 Playoff   Greg Norman 350,000 63,000
1982   Tom Kite 278 −6 Playoff   Jack Nicklaus
  Denis Watson		 300,000 54,000
1981   Andy Bean 266 −18 7 strokes   Tom Watson 300,000 54,000
1980   Dave Eichelberger 279 −5 3 strokes   Leonard Thompson 300,000 54,000
Bay Hill Citrus Classic
1979   Bob Byman 278 −6 Playoff   John Schroeder 250,000 45,000
Florida Citrus Open
1978   Mac McLendon 271 −17 2 strokes   David Graham 200,000 40,000
1977   Gary Koch 274 −14 2 strokes   Dale Hayes
  Joe Inman		 200,000 40,000
1976   Hale Irwin 270 −18 Playoff   Kermit Zarley 200,000 40,000
1975   Lee Trevino 276 −12 1 stroke   Hale Irwin 200,000 40,000
1974   Jerry Heard (2) 273 −15 3 strokes   Homero Blancas
  Jim Jamieson		 150,000 30,000
1973   Buddy Allin 265 −23 8 strokes   Charles Coody 150,000 30,000
1972   Jerry Heard 276 −12 2 strokes   Bobby Mitchell 150,000 30,000
Florida Citrus Invitational
1971   Arnold Palmer 270 −18 1 stroke   Julius Boros 150,000 30,000
1970   Bob Lunn 271 −17 1 stroke   Arnold Palmer
  Bob Stanton		 150,000 30,000
Florida Citrus Open Invitational
1969   Ken Still 278 −10 1 stroke   Miller Barber 115,000 23,000
1968   Dan Sikes 274 −14 1 stroke   Tom Weiskopf 115,000 23,000
1967   Julius Boros 274 −10 1 stroke   George Knudson
  Arnold Palmer		 115,000 23,000
1966   Lionel Hebert 279 −5 2 strokes   Charles Coody
  Dick Lytle
  Jack Nicklaus		 110,000 21,000

Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources:[37][38]

Multiple winners

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Eight men have won this tournament more than once through 2024.

Notes

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  1. ^ a b Shortened to 54 holes due to rain.

References

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  1. ^ "MasterCard Extends Presenting Sponsorship of Arnold Palmer Invitational". MasterCard.com (Press release). March 21, 2012. Archived from the original on October 14, 2020. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  2. ^ "MasterCard Extends Sponsorship". ArnoldPalmerInvitational.com. March 21, 2012. Archived from the original on April 7, 2012. Retrieved March 26, 2012.
  3. ^ "Boost to Arnie and Jack tourneys". ESPN. Associated Press. June 3, 2014.
  4. ^ Auclair, T.J. "Red cardigan sweater for Arnold Palmer Invitational winner revealed". PGA of America. Retrieved November 8, 2018.
  5. ^ "The Open Qualifying Series for 2019 launches with four new events". theopen.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2019. Retrieved November 7, 2018.
  6. ^ "2015–16 PGA Tour Player Handbook & Tournament Regulations" (PDF). October 5, 2015. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 12, 2016.
  7. ^ Hebert Discards Remedy, Wins Florida Citrus Open
  8. ^ Dan Sikes wins Citrus Open
  9. ^ Palmer Cops Citrus Open
  10. ^ Allin Citrus Champ
  11. ^ Jerry Heard regains winning touch, takes Citrus Open on 273 total
  12. ^ Citrus Open playoff won by Hale Irwin
  13. ^ Irwin Raps TV For Late Start
  14. ^ Byman, a Rookie, Wins Golf Playoff
  15. ^ Eichelberger wins chilly Bay Hill
  16. ^ Golfers required panty hose
  17. ^ Kite wins Bay Hill Golf in three-man playoff
  18. ^ Gary Koch wins Bay Hill playoff
  19. ^ Fuzzy Zoeller wins Bay Hill Classic
  20. ^ Stewart wins Bay Hill by 3
  21. ^ White, Gordon S. Jr. (March 13, 1989). "Kite Catches Love And Wins Playoff". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2019-08-23.
  22. ^ Anderson, Dave (March 26, 1990). "Spectacular Eagle Wins for Gamez". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-10-14.
  23. ^ Sizzling Couples coasts by 9 shots in Nestle laugher
  24. ^ Dorman, Larry (March 20, 1995). "Roberts and Bay Hill Links Seem Made for Each Other (Published 1995)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2020-10-14.
  25. ^ Goydos fires 67 to capture Bay Hill
  26. ^ Brown, Clifton (March 23, 1998). "Six In Lake Give Daly an 18 (Published 1998)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 2023-06-06.
  27. ^ Woods Triumphs Again, Leaving Love in Awe
  28. ^ Ailing Woods wins 4th straight Bay Hill by 11 strokes
  29. ^ Perry Wins Bay Hill After Singh Suffers Rocky Finish
  30. ^ Tiger birdies 18 for title
  31. ^ Golf-Woods overhauls O'Hair for comeback win at Bay Hill[dead link]
  32. ^ Donegan, Lawrence (March 26, 2012). "Tiger Woods ends PGA Tour drought with Arnold Palmer Invitational win". The Guardian. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  33. ^ Schmitz, Brian (March 26, 2013). "Tiger Woods is back at No. 1 after winning Arnold Palmer Invitational". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved March 28, 2013.
  34. ^ "Matt Every wins again at Bay Hill". ESPN.com. 22 March 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  35. ^ "Daniel Berger makes 2 on par 5". ESPN.com. 21 March 2015. Retrieved March 22, 2015.
  36. ^ "Course: Bay Hill Club". PGA Tour. 2013. Retrieved March 27, 2013.
  37. ^ Arnold Palmer Invitational - Winners - at www.pgatour.com
  38. ^ Arnold Palmer Invitational - Winners Archived 2011-07-16 at the Wayback Machine - at www.golfobserver.com
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