The third signature event of the season has arrived, featuring a field of 72 players at Bay Hill Club & Lodge for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational. This second player-hosted invitational will resemble the Genesis Invitational, with a cut made to the top 50 players and ties, along with those within 10 strokes of the leader, after the halfway mark.
During the Genesis Invitational, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler faced a critical moment, needing to sink an 8-foot par putt on his 36th hole to qualify for the weekend. As he returns to the familiar setting of Bay Hill, the two-time tournament champion aims to overcome a series of slow starts while the PGA Tour shifts its focus to the East Coast.
Despite ranking outside the top 100 for Round 1 scoring average, Scheffler still leads the PGA Tour in overall scoring average and total strokes gained. He seeks his third cardigan in the past five years, while world No. 2 Rory McIlroy aims for his second. Although McIlroy hasn’t won since taking the title in 2018, he has been active in his first two starts on the PGA Tour in 2026.
McIlroy seems poised for a return to victory, consistently performing at an elite level. Similarly, Tommy Fleetwood and Jake Knapp have shown impressive form early in the season, with Knapp being the second-best player on the PGA Tour based on strokes gained and overall scoring average.
Recent champions like Collin Morikawa and Justin Rose are looking to maintain their success in Florida, while newcomers Jacob Bridgeman and Chris Gotterup prepare for their tournament debuts. Returning from injury, fan favorites Justin Thomas and Sungjae Im also look to make their mark after missing the start of the season.
Players such as Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns are all aiming for their first victories in a while. Major winners like Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry, and Adam Scott will also be in contention.
2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational Schedule
Dates: Mar. 5-8
Location: Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge — Orlando, Florida
Par: 72 | Yardage: 7,466 | Architect: Dick Wilson & Joe Lee
Purse: $20,000,000
2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational Field, Odds
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
- Scottie Scheffler (7/2): Scheffler aims to break a recent trend of finishing outside the top 10, as he placed T12 at Riviera, marking his first finish out of the top 10 since the previous season’s Players Championship. He has consistently performed well at Bay Hill, with five top 15 finishes, including victories in 2022 and 2024.
- Rory McIlroy (10-1): McIlroy’s switch back to blade irons has proven successful, showing stellar performance at the Genesis Invitational. A former champion at Bay Hill, he’s never ranked lower than 30th here and boasts six top 10 finishes in his last nine attempts.
- Tommy Fleetwood (20-1)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (25-1): Fitzpatrick arrives in Florida with momentum stemming from three consecutive top-25 finishes, showcasing excellent driving and approach play. His history at Bay Hill includes five top-15 finishes in his last seven outings.
- Xander Schauffele (25-1): Schauffele returned from injury at this event last season but has since posted two solid performances, including contention at the Genesis Invitational. However, he has yet to finish inside the top 20 at this venue.
- Collin Morikawa (25-1): After a strong showing at last year’s tournament, Morikawa looks to carry forward his recent momentum. His accuracy off the tee and proficiency with long irons make him a strong contender, although questions remain about his short game.
- Harris English (30-1)
- Si Woo Kim (33-1)
- Russell Henley (33-1)
- Hideki Matsuyama (33-1)
2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational Picks
Who will take home the title at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, and which underdogs will astonish the golfing community? Check out SportsLine now for the projected leaderboard, based on a model that has accurately predicted 16 golf majors leading into the weekend.
