Best of the Best Descend Upon Bay Hill

ORLANDO, Fla. (March 4, 2026) – Highlighted by a field featuring 19 of the top 20 players in the world, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is the eighth event of the 2026 PGA TOUR season and the third of eight Signature Events on the TOUR schedule.
 
The field is even more impressive considering that 41 of the top 50 in the world will tee it up at Bay Hill Club & Lodge this week headlined by No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, No. 2 Rory McIlroy, No. 3 Tommy Fleetwood, No. 4 Justin Rose, and No. 5 Collin Morikawa.
 
“One of the most more challenging golf courses we have all year,” said Morikawa. “This course, you just could never let up, and it’s going to be a grind starting tomorrow morning all the way through Sunday.”
 
Since 1979, six golfers have won the event more than once, led by Tiger Woods’ eight wins, followed by Ernie Els, Matt Every, Tom Kite, Loren Roberts, and Scheffler, each with two. Scheffler, the PGA TOUR’s Player of the Year for each of the last four seasons, will look to separate himself from the group this week as he chases his third title at Bay Hill.
 
“It’s definitely a place I always enjoy coming back and playing,” he said. “Obviously with Mr. Palmer’s legacy and the way the golf course is, it’s very challenging, and so it’s always a fun test, I think, for us as players. So, yeah, it’s good to be back, for sure.”
 
Even 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion Rory McIlroy, who leads the field with 29 TOUR wins and three FedExCup championships, understands the pressures to perform when Scheffler is playing alongside him.
 
“Look, he’s played consistently excellent golf for, I would say, ever since he got his first win back at the start of 2022 (WM Phoenix Open), and he hasn’t really dropped off since then,” the current Masters champion said. “It’s been four years of really, you know, excellent, consistent golf. You look at his game, and you would have said a few years ago that the putting was a weakness, but you wouldn’t say that now.”
 
Sixty of the 72 players in the field have at least one win on TOUR, but Scheffler’s 14 since his win at Bay Hill in ’24, provides a daunting mental challenge for others to overcome this week.
 
“You look at all the other aspects of his game and you don’t see a weakness, from a physical standpoint, from a mental standpoint. He has a good mindset of just, ‘Last week’s done, I’ll move on to this week,’” McIlroy added. “He operates in the present so well, and that’s one of his super strengths.”
 
Scheffler’s present begins during Thursday’s first round at 10:20 a.m. ET, as he’s paired with defending champion Russell Henley. Will he sport his third red cardigan on Sunday afternoon? Only those who play boldly will find out.
 
The tournament features a 36-hole cut, low 50 players and ties and any additional players within 10 strokes of the 36-hole lead, and 20 percent prize allocation to winner ($4 million), up from 18 percent.
 
The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard begins tomorrow, with television coverage from 2 – 6 p.m. ET on the GOLF Channel.