Jake Knapp is out, Haotong Li is in.<\/p>\n
And with that, the third signature event of the PGA Tour season started without one of tournament\u2019s favorites<\/a>.<\/p>\n Knapp\u2019s withdrawal came before the start of Thursday\u2019s opening round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. According to Golfweek<\/a>, Knapp was dealing with an illness and decided to rest for the upcoming Players Championship.<\/p>\n China\u2019s Haotong Li replaced Knapp at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, where the 72-player field<\/a> is circling a $20-million purse.<\/p>\n Jake Knapp WD prior to the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. <\/p>\n Haotong Li will replace Knapp in the 12:05 p.m. tee time.<\/p>\n \u2014 PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 5, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Knapp, currently ranked No. 41 in the world, is No. 7 in the FedExCup standings after a strong start to the season.<\/p>\n He opened with a T-11 at the Sony Open before posting four consecutive top-10 finishes.<\/p>\n The 30-year-old Li ranks No. 71 in the world and is looking for his first PGA Tour victory after multiple wins on the DP World Tour.<\/p>\n