The Five: Legendary tales, compelling players to follow at Arnold Palmer's place

ORLANDO, Fla. – The second stop of the Florida Swing is upon us and it marks the beginning of an eventful fortnight on the PGA TOUR. This week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is the fourth of the eight Signature Events on the 2024 calendar, and it precedes next week’s THE PLAYERS Championship.

Spring is approaching, and the stakes are increasing as THE PLAYERS and the major championships loom. Here are five storylines to follow before play commences at Bay Hill:

1. Host with the Most

The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is an annual tribute to one of golf’s legendary figures. Palmer not only won 62 PGA TOUR titles, fifth-most all-time, but he also transformed the sport, providing a charismatic superstar for golf’s entrance into the television era.

His legacy is still felt at Bay Hill, more than seven years after his passing. Not only are the eponymous umbrellas ever-present, but fans and players alike are quick to share their memories of Palmer.

When asked for his favorite part of this week, Xander Schauffele said it was “playing on Arnie's property, seeing all the fans, seeing the iconic umbrella.

“It still feels like he's … not just here with us, but everyone supports him and talks about him and he's definitely the talk of the town,” Schauffele continued. “So I think that part's really cool about being here.”

Patrick Cantlay recalled meeting Palmer at the 2011 Palmer Cup, a collegiate version of the Ryder Cup. “With everything he's done for the game and his history and legacy, it was a real treat to meet him,” Cantlay said.

This week is the second of the TOUR’s three player-hosted invitationals, as well, along with Tiger Woods’ The Genesis Invitational and Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament presented by Workday. The player-hosted invitationals are the only Signature Events with a 36-hole cut (low 50 players and ties and any additional players within 10 strokes of the 36-hole lead), a 20% purse allocation to the winner ($4 million for first prize) and a three-year exemption on the PGA TOUR.

2. Tough Test

Palmer was the son of a superintendent, and he was adored for the blue-collar ethos he brought to a country club sport. He was a man of the people, describing himself in his autobiography as “a working-class guy with more grit than polish, more strength than style.” Players will need to exhibit similar characteristics to succeed at Bay Hill. Fitting for its namesake, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard requires players to exhibit a similar grit.

Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge is the only course on TOUR to rank in the top 10 of difficulty in each of the previous five seasons. In that span, the lowest winning score was Francesco Molinari’s 12-under 276 in 2018. Three of the previous four champions have been single-digits under par for the week. Kurt Kitayama won at 9-under par last year, and Scottie Scheffler was just 5-under par in his 2022 win.

Bay Hill is known for its preponderance of large lakes, and a course setup that often features long rough and firm greens only makes things more difficult. Last year, the field hit only 58% of the greens in regulation. That was the seventh-lowest on TOUR last season.

This year should present another challenge. The superintendent’s report states that the course “has emerged from a cloudy and cool winter in very good condition. The non-overseeded TifEagle bermudagrass greens are healthy and properly staged to provide firm and fast conditions. The primary rough is overseeded and is being managed to present a condition consistent with last year (cut to 3 inches).”

3. Dramatic Finish

Having hosted this event since 1979, Bay Hill has become one of the most recognizable courses on TOUR. And the 18th hole is the most famous of them all.

That’s both because of the challenge it presents, and the drama it has produced. Bay Hill’s 18th ranked as the 11th-hardest finishing hole on TOUR last season, playing to a 4.15 average in 2023. The large lake and rocks that front the green are intimidating, but going long is no bargain. The green slopes severely back-to-front, with thick rough and bunkers sitting back there.

“You must play boldly to win,” Palmer famously said. Bay Hill’s 18th hole requires such strategy.

The traditional back-right hole location, tucked just beyond the water, has produced several dramatic moments, including multiple must-make birdie putts on the 72nd hole from Tiger Woods. McIlroy and Molinari also holed long birdie putts on 18 to cap off their victories.

The hole actually was a par-5 when Bay Hill first opened but was changed to a par-4 when the PGA TOUR started playing here. It’s proven to be a wise decision.

4. Playoff Drought

For all the potential drama on the 18th hole, there is one surprising streak at this event. It’s a playoff drought that even the New York Jets can envy. There hasn’t been a playoff at this event since 1999, when Tim Herron defeated Tom Lehman. That is the only playoff at this event since 1990, as well.

The majority of Arnold Palmer Invitationals over the past quarter-century have been decided by just a single stroke (13 of 25). The last four editions of this event have been decided by a single stroke, as well.

Since 1999, McIlroy (2018, 3 strokes) and Chad Campbell (2004, 6 strokes) are the only players not named Tiger Woods to win this tournament by more than two strokes.

5. Ford-Driven

The three player-hosted invitationals also receive an additional sponsor exemption to give to a player who continues the tournament’s traditions. Last June, University of North Carolina junior David Ford received the exemption by virtue of a vote from his peers at the 2023 Arnold Palmer Cup. Ford, the 2023 ACC Player of the Year, helped Team USA defeat its International counterparts in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Laurel Valley Golf Club in Ligonier, Pennsylvania.

Ford was a member of the United States’ victorious teams at the Walker Cup and World Amateur Team Championship last year, as well. His teammates on the three-man squad at the WATC were Gordon Sargent and Nick Dunlap, both of whom now possess PGA TOUR cards. Sargent earned his that week with his appearance in the WATC, which gave him the requisite 20 points in PGA TOUR University Accelerated; the card will be waiting for Sargent when he decides to turn pro. Dunlap earned his PGA TOUR membership by winning The American Express this year, becoming the first amateur in more than three decades to win on the PGA TOUR.

Ford could be joining them as a TOUR member in 2025. He’s the early favorite to be No. 1 in PGA TOUR U’s Class of 2025. The top player in PGA TOUR U at the conclusion of each year’s NCAA Championship earns a PGA TOUR card. Ludvig Åberg was the first to earn the honor, and he made quick work with the status, playing in the Ryder Cup and winning on both the PGA TOUR and DP World Tour. Lamprecht is No. 1 in this season’s standings.