Arnold Palmer Invitational set to tee off in Central Florida
MULLINAX FORD. THE OPENING ROUND IS IN THE BOOKS. GOOD EVENING FROM BAY HILL CLUB AND LODGE ALONGSIDE KRISTEN LAGO AND DAREN STOLZFUS. TEAM COVERAGE FOR THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL. CHRISTINA ORLANDO SIGNATURE EVENT. IT’S A WHOLE LOT OF FUN AND WE’RE GETTING SET FOR A FANTASTIC WEEKEND. YEAH. OF COURSE, CONDITIONS WERE A LITTLE BIT ROUGH FOR THEM OUT THERE, BUT WE’RE NOT GOLFING, SO WE JUST GET TO SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE SHOW. THROW ON THE PULLOVERS, SMILE AS THE SUN SETS AND ENJOY A GREAT DAY OF GOLF. YEAH. CONDITIONS DID IMPROVE GOING INTO THE AFTERNOON ROUNDS, SO A LOT OF THE LOWER SCORES CAME FROM THAT LATER GROUP. SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER PLAYED IN THE MORNING. THE DEFENDING CHAMPION HERE AT THE ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL, DIDN’T GET TO FINISH LIKE HE WANTED TO HERE ON NINE. IT’S A BIG BENDER BUT SOMEHOW JUST COMES UP A TAD SHORT. SCOTTY WOULD TAP IT IN, HE WOULD FINISH ONE UNDER FOR THE DAY, TIED AT 11, JUST OUTSIDE THE TOP TEN WITHIN STRIKING DISTANCE. OF COURSE, KEEGAN BRADLEY WAS THE LOW SCORER FOR MOST OF THE DAY. NICE CHIP IN ON NINE. HIS BEST FINISH AT BAY HILL WAS MORE THAN A DECADE AGO. HE WAS THE RUNNER UP THEN. HE WAS THREE UNDER AFTER 18 HOLES. HE’S TIED FOR SECOND RIGHT NOW. ALSO IN THE HUNT. CHRISTIAN MARS AVENUE SHORT BIRDIE PUTT ON 16. THAT HELPS CHRISTIAN GET TO 69 FOR THE DAY. THREE UNDER. JUST LIKE KEEGAN. BUT EVERYBODY’S CHASING ONE OF THE LAST GUYS THAT JUST WALKED OFF THE COURSE. WYNDHAM CLARK, LAST YEAR’S RUNNER UP. HE HAS A TWO STROKE LEAD ON THE FIELD HEADING INTO FRIDAY. IT’S JUST ONE OF THOSE THINGS THAT YOU GOT TO STAY PATIENT WITH THE GOLF COURSE. IT’S REALLY HARD AND YOU KNOW THERE’S A LOT OF STUFF THAT CAN THAT CAN FRUSTRATE, FRUSTRATE YOU OUT THERE. BUT YOU KNOW, JUST TRYING TO STAY IN IT. I THINK THAT THIS IS THE HARDEST COURSE WE PLAY ALL YEAR. I USED TO THINK IT WAS TORREY I THINK I THINK IT’S HERE NOW. THE FOUR PAR FIVES AND YOU’RE STILL, YOU KNOW, REALLY GOT TO PLAY WELL TO SHOOT UNDER PAR. AND YOU KNOW SPRINKLE IN SOME CONDITIONS LIKE THIS. IT’S REALLY TOUGH. ONE OF THE GUYS THAT PLAYED WELL THAT WE DIDN’T SEE IN THE HIGHLIGHTS A FAN FAVORITE. ONE OF MR. PALMER’S FAVORITES RORY MCILROY. YEAH I DON’T THINK I HEARD LOUDER CHEERS FROM THE CROWD THAT WAS OUT HERE FOR THIS OPENING ROUND. THE RORY MCILROY WAS GOING THROUGH HAD A SOLID DAY OVERALL TODAY. HAD SIX BIRDIES ON THE DAY, BUT HE ALSO BOGEYED FOUR HOLES. I THINK HE’D LIKE TO HAVE THOSE BACK, BUT OVERALL AN UP AND DOWN DAY FOR RORY TO SAY THE LEAST. HE DID WIN THIS TOURNAMENT BACK IN 2018 WAS A RUNNER UP TWO YEARS AGO AND STILL SQUARELY IN THE HUNT. 18 HOLES IN, BUT THE NUMBER TWO RANKED GOLFER IN THE WORLD, XANDER SCHAUFFELE, WAS NOT AS SUCCESSFUL IN HIS RETURN TO THE COURSE TODAY. HIS FIRST TOUR ACTION IN SIX WEEKS AS HE DEALS WITH A RIB INJURY. XANDER SHOOTS A FIRST ROUND OF 77. THAT’S FIVE OVER, SITS IN DANGER OF MISSING THE CUT RIGHT NOW. HE DID SAY HE’D JUST DRIVE BACK HOME TO JUPITER IF THAT HAPPENS, BUT HE DOESN’T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. ALL RIGHT, HOW ABOUT THIS FOR A COOL STORY. NUMBER TWO, AMATEUR IN THE ENTIRE WORLD, JACKSON COHEN, THE AUBURN SOPHOMORE, 19 YEARS OLD. HE’S PLAYING FOR A CHANCE TO GET HIS PGA TOUR CARD THIS WEEKEND. IF HE FINISHES INSIDE THE TOP TEN, THAT’S A POSSIBILITY. HE RUNS AN EVEN PAR ROUND TODAY. PRETTY COOL. ALSO PRETTY COOL. WE SHARE THE SAME BIRTHDAY, NOT THE SAME YEAR BY FAR. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. COMING UP TONIGHT AT 730. MOVING ON. COMING UP AT 730. OUR ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL SPECIAL COVERAGE WILL CONTINUE. WE WILL HEAR FROM JACKSON I GO ONE ON ONE WITH HIM TALKING ABOUT THE ASPIRATIONS HE HAS FOR THIS WEEKEND. I WILL SAY THIS, I DON’T THINK ANY OTHER GOLFER IN THE FIELD IS TRYING TO DO HOMEWORK WHILE THEY’RE PLAYING AT BAY HILL CLUB AND LODGE. I THINK YOU’RE RIGHT ABOUT THAT ONE. YEAH. ALL RIGHT. HIGHEST OPENING SCORE FOR A FIRST ROUND LEADER SINCE 2017. THAT COULD MAKE FOR A VERY INTERESTING WEEKEND. WE’LL SEE WHAT HAPPENS. IT’S GOING TO BE FUN. KRISTEN I’M DAREN WE’LL SEE YOU AT 730 RIGHT HERE FROM BAY HILL CL
Arnold Palmer Invitational set to tee off in Central Florida
Updated: 9:58 PM EST Feb 27, 2026
>>> Video in player above: RECAP: Day 1 of the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2025The Arnold Palmer Invitational, the PGA Tour’s only stop in Central Florida, is set to begin on Thursday, March 5, at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge, featuring the world’s best golfers competing for the famed red alpaca cardigan.Each golfer ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings will be in the field, as well as 19 of the top 20 golfers. Russell Henley will take the course as the tournament’s defending champion, aiming to become the first back-to-back winner at this event since Matt Every won in 2014 and 2015.Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026Coverage of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational from Bay Hill will start on Monday, leading up to the first round of play on Thursday. A special half-hour coverage will air Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. from just off the 17th hole at Bay Hill.
ORLANDO, Fla. —
>>> Video in player above: RECAP: Day 1 of the Arnold Palmer Invitational 2025
The Arnold Palmer Invitational, the PGA Tour’s only stop in Central Florida, is set to begin on Thursday, March 5, at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club and Lodge, featuring the world’s best golfers competing for the famed red alpaca cardigan.
Each golfer ranked in the top 10 of the Official World Golf Rankings will be in the field, as well as 19 of the top 20 golfers. Russell Henley will take the course as the tournament’s defending champion, aiming to become the first back-to-back winner at this event since Matt Every won in 2014 and 2015.
Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026
Coverage of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational from Bay Hill will start on Monday, leading up to the first round of play on Thursday. A special half-hour coverage will air Thursday night at 7:30 p.m. from just off the 17th hole at Bay Hill.