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Twenty million dollars in prize money is a great reason for (almost) everyone in the world to show up this week, starting Thursday, at the Bay Hill Club & Lodge, near Orlando, for the Arnold Palmer Invitational tournament.
Arnold Palmer Invitational, schedule
It is therefore no coincidence that no one will be missing from the appeal in Florida (except Cameron Smith because he is enrolled in the LIV) among the top 10 of the World Ranking: Rory, Rahm, Scheffler, Thomas, Homa & Co.
will all be in the game. By the way: Francesco Molinari will also be there, who won here in 2019, and who is looking for a relaunch of his 2023 American season right here, which for now sees him around the 200th position in the FedEX Cup.
The course: The Bay Hill Club & Lodge is a 7500-yard par 72 full of killer doglegs, which make it essential to know how to curve the ball in both directions.
In addition, the average width of the fairways is 25 meters, with water often and willingly (9 times out of 18) to annoy - and even a lot - the tee shots: therefore it is essential to hit the track, also given the thick and massive present on the sides in the rough.
The defending champion is Scottie Scheffler, who this season boasts the second best percentage of greens in regulation with his monumental 75.0%; a few decimals higher is the leader of the category Jon Rahm (75.6%), who not by chance in the last 9 tournaments played has not only won 3 times (!!), but has never left the top 7.
However, be careful when talking about greens in regulation, because Bay Hill is the Pga Tour course where players are called several times throughout the season to hit the rods from distances over 200 yards: it therefore becomes crucial not only to observe who is the best with long irons (among the notables, Rahm, for a change, and Collin Morikawa), but also who is the best in the Strokes Gained Around The Green (Justin Thomas Editor's note), given that often and willingly it will not be possible to hit the target from long distances.
Finally, another of the super favourites, Rory McIlroy who has already won here in 2018: the Northern Irishman arrives in Bay Hill not only on the strength of two successes already obtained in the season, but also of the best statistic in the Strokes Gained Total of the Arnold Palmer Invitational: +2.3.
In short, turn around, the names always seem to be the same, but never say never: the field of the tournament has 120 players who in fact are all able to wear the red jacket due to the winner. The only certain thing in this scenario is that, however it goes, the Arnold Palmer Invitational will always be a great show, because after all, as claimed by The King, or rather Arnold Palmer, "the road to success is always under construction" .
