The third signature event of the season is already upon us as a field of 72 players sets a course for Bay Hill Club & Lodge and the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational. Representing the second player-hosted invitational, the tournament will look a lot like the Genesis Invitational, as there will be a cut to the top 50 players and ties (as well as those within 10 strokes of the lead) at the halfway point.
Surprisingly, this was top of mind at Riviera as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was forced to make an 8-foot par putt on his 36th hole to see the weekend. Returning to a happy hunting ground that is Bay Hill, the two-time tournament champion will look to put a slew of slow starts behind him as the PGA Tour continues its shift to the East Coast.
Scheffler remains atop the PGA Tour in overall scoring average and total strokes gained despite ranking outside the top 100 in Round 1 scoring average. He looks to grab his third cardigan in the last five years, while world No. 2 Rory McIlroy moves toward his second. Doing everything but winning since claiming this title in 2018, McIlroy has made his presence known in his first two starts on the PGA Tour in 2026.
McIlroy making a trip to the winner’s circle feels inevitable at this point as he continues to operate at an elite level. The same can be mentioned for the likes of Tommy Fleetwood and Jake Knapp, the latter of whom has been the second-best player — according to strokes gained and overall scoring average — on the PGA Tour this young season.
Recent winners like Collin Morikawa and Justin Rose hope to continue their momentum in Florida, while Jacob Bridgeman and Chris Gotterup gear up for their tournament debuts. Fan favorites Justin Thomas and Sungjae Im both return to action after missing the first couple of months of the season due to injury.
Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth, Patrick Cantlay and Sam Burns are among those players eyeing their first victories in a prolonged period, while major champions such as Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Shane Lowry and Adam Scott round out the action.
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): Guess it is time to start a new top 10 streak. Scheffler finished T12 in his last start at Riviera, marking the first time since last season’s Players Championship that he fell outside the top 10. The good news is he has been right around that position in all five trips to Bay Hill, notching five top 15 finishes, including wins in 2022 and 2024. Scheffler is top 20 in every strokes-gained category except on approach, where he checks in at No. 57 on the PGA Tour.
- Rory McIlroy (10-1): The decision to move back to his blade irons looks to have been the correct one through eight rounds of PGA Tour play. McIlroy was magnificent from tee to green at the Genesis Invitational and could have won had his putter cooperated on Sunday. The 2018 champion has never finished outside the top 30 at Bay Hill and has six top 10 finishes in his last nine trips.
- Tommy Fleetwood (20-1)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (25-1): Current form and course history are converging for the Englishman. Fitzpatrick arrives in Florida off three straight top-25 finishes, where his driving and approach play were at a level that produces major championships. Fitzpatrick’s play at Bay Hill throughout the year has been equally as impressive with five top-15 finishes in his last seven appearances.
- Xander Schauffele (25-1): This is the event where Schauffele made his return from injury a season ago, as he struggled through the Florida Swing while knocking off some rust. This year could prove different as he has strung together two straight quality outings, the just in coming in the form of a contention run at the Genesis Invitational. The two-time major champion has never finished inside the top 20 despite seemingly being a strong fit for the course.
- Collin Morikawa (25-1): It was his tournament to win last season until it wasn’t. Morikawa has since gotten off the schneid as he aims to parlay his momentum at Pebble Beach and Riviera into more of the same at Bay Hill. His elite driving accuracy and long iron proficiency give him a leg up on the competition at this venue, but questions surrounding his short game will ultimately need to be answered if he is to become the second multiple-time winner on tour this week.
- Harris English (30-1)
- Si Woo Kim (33-1)
- Russell Henley (33-1)
- Hideki Matsuyama (33-1)
2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational picks
Who will win the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 16 golf majors heading into the weekend, and find out.
