Arnold Palmer Invitational
March 19 – 22, 2015
Bay Hill Club
Orlando, Fla.
Par: 72 / Yardage:
Purse: $6.2
with $1,116,000 to the winner
Defending Champion:
Matt Every

This week’s field includes:
The field includes 25 of the top 50 in the latest Official World Rankings, with fiour players from the top-ten: #1 Rory McIlroy, #3 Henrik Stenson, #4 Adam Scott and #5 Jason Day. The other top 50 players are #11 Rickie Fowler, #16 Hideki Matsuyama, #17 Billy Horschel, #18 Brooks Koepka, #20 J.B. Holmes, #22 Graeme McDowell, #24 Chris Kirk, #25 Kevin Na, #27 Zach Johnson, #31 Hunter Mahan, #32 Ian Poulter, #35 Brandt Snedeker, #36 Keegan Bradley, #38 Louis Oosthuizen, #40 Bernd Wiesberger, #42 Branden Grace, #43 Webb Simpson, #44 Shane Lowry, #45 Danny Willett, #46 Paul Casey and #49 Gary Woodland.
Last year 21 top-50 players were in the field.
Bubba Watson was forced to withdrew late Wednesday afternoon due to the death of a childhood friend.
The field includes 12 of the top 25 on the FedEx point standings for 2015. Those players are #5 Robert Streb, #8 Sang-Moon Bae, #9 Jason Day, #10 Brandt Snedeker, #12 Brooks Koepka, #13 Hideki Matsuyama, #15 J.B. Holmes, #16 Ben Martin, #18 Shawn Stefani, #19 Daniel Berger, #20 Harris English and #25 Russell Knox.
The field includes 14 players in the top 25 on this year’s PGA Tour money list. Those players are #7 Jason Day, #8 Brandt Snedeker, #9 Sang-Moon Bae, #10 Robert Streb, #11 J.B. Holmes, #12 Hideki Matsuyama, #13 Brooks Koepka, #16 Ben Martin, #19 Daniel Berger, #20 Padraig Harrington, #20 Harris English, #22 Shawn Stefani, #23 Russell Knox and #25 Paul Casey.
The field includes 8 past champions: Matt Every (2014), Martin Laird (2011), Ernie Els (2010 & 1998), Vijay Singh (2007), Rod Pampling (2006), Chad Campbell (2004), Tim Herron (1999) and Robert Gamez (1990).
A perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the Arnold Palmer Invitational field is our performance chart listed by average finish. Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in the last five years or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
A good cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmakers in England.
**NOTE**
We have made a lot of changes in Golfstats and one of the biggest is that every on-going event gets updated every hour. It’s not real time scoring, but after each day you will see our database change. This will help look at things like good scores in a row and how each player does after every round.
Another change is our new feature, “Who will win on Sunday”. Just like our previews, this will not only preview the final round but also look at players who shoud win. All of these will enhance GOLFstats and encourage you to check our stuff over the weekend and during play.
Another thing to look for is 24/7 Golf which is now in the Apple App Store. This is a new app that you can get with your Iphone so that you can take a lot of GOLFstats with you when your away from your computer. Try it out, you will love it.
So join us a couple of hours after play on Saturday night or Sunday morning for our “Who will win on Sunday” feature in which you can see who shall win during the final nine.
Time to look at our who’s hot and who isn’t:
Who’s Hot in the field for the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Player | Valspar | Tshwane Open | WGC Cadillac | Puerto Rico | Africa Open | Honda Classic | Joburg Open | Northern Trust | Indian Open | AT&T Pebble | True Thailand | Farmers | Phoenix Open |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
J.B. Holmes (262 pts) |
DNP | DNP | 2 (150) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T22 (18.67) |
DNP | T10 (26.67) |
DNP | T2 (66.67) |
T66 (0) |
Henrik Stenson (200 pts) |
4 (80) |
DNP | T4 (120) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Bubba Watson (192.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | 3 (135) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T14 (24) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T2 (33.33) |
Brandt Snedeker (171.5 pts) |
T53 (0) |
DNP | T17 (49.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 74 (0) |
DNP | Win (88) |
DNP | T19 (20.67) |
T10 (13.33) |
Jason Day (169.83 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T31 (28.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T4 (53.33) |
DNP | Win (88) |
DNP |
Paul Casey (168 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T38 (18) |
DNP | DNP | T3 (90) |
DNP | T2 (66.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Daniel Berger (147.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | 2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T10 (26.67) |
DNP | T24 (17.33) |
T10 (13.33) |
Sean O’Hair (139 pts) |
T2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T25 (25) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T29 (14) |
DNP | T69 (0) |
DNP |
Ian Poulter (131.5 pts) |
T24 (26) |
DNP | T49 (1.5) |
DNP | DNP | T3 (90) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T19 (20.67) |
DNP |
Hideki Matsuyama (120.5 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T23 (40.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T4 (53.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
T2 (33.33) |
Harris English (113.33 pts) |
T10 (40) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T30 (13.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T2 (66.67) |
T40 (3.33) |
Sam Saunders (112.67 pts) |
T24 (26) |
DNP | DNP | T2 (100) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Russell Knox (112 pts) |
T33 (17) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T3 (90) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
T15 (11.67) |
Adam Scott (110 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | T4 (120) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Kevin Na (108.83 pts) |
T10 (40) |
DNP | T9 (67.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T61 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | T26 (8) |
Shane Lowry (105.5 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T17 (49.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T21 (19.33) |
DNP | T7 (36.67) |
DNP |
Padraig Harrington (105.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | Win (132) |
DNP | T56 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
CUT (-3.33) |
Brooks Koepka (99.5 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T17 (49.5) |
DNP | DNP | T51 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T41 (6) |
Win (44) |
Charles Howell III (92.67 pts) |
T10 (40) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T44 (6) |
DNP | T61 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T5 (46.67) |
T71 (0) |
Daniel Summerhays (86.33 pts) |
T10 (40) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T17 (33) |
DNP | T30 (13.33) |
DNP | T45 (3.33) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Louis Oosthuizen (80 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | 6 (90) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Keegan Bradley (78.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T38 (18) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T4 (53.33) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T41 (6) |
T17 (11) |
Martin Laird (77 pts) |
T33 (17) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T7 (36.67) |
T5 (23.33) |
Webb Simpson (75.83 pts) |
DNP | DNP | T7 (82.5) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP |
Brendan Steele (74.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T11 (39) |
DNP | T14 (24) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T45 (3.33) |
T26 (8) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who’s Not Hot in the field for the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Player | Valspar | Tshwane Open | WGC Cadillac | Puerto Rico | Africa Open | Honda Classic | Joburg Open | Northern Trust | Indian Open | AT&T Pebble | True Thailand | Farmers | Phoenix Open |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Erik Compton (-36.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
CUT (-3.33) |
Ernie Els (-33.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Trevor Immelman (-33.33 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Steven Bowditch (-26.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-3.33) |
Hudson Swafford (-22.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T34 (10.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Ben Crane (-20 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T68 (0) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
CUT (-3.33) |
Richard Sterne (-19.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | T46 (4) |
DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Ben Curtis (-16.67 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP |
Davis Love III (-13.33 pts) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP | T65 (0) |
DNP | CUT (-6.67) |
DNP |
Matt Every (-12.67 pts) |
CUT (-10) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | T63 (0) |
DNP | T49 (0.67) |
DNP | DNP | DNP | T69 (0) |
CUT (-3.33) |
How Player Rankings are Computed
Who to watch for at the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Best Bets:
Bubba Watson – Withdrew due to death of a close friend
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
WD | WD | T14 | T4 | T24 | CUT | CUT | T8 | CUT | T34 |
You just have to go with him just because he hasn’t finished outside the top-25 in his last ten worldwide starts and in his 2015 starts beginning at the Hyundai has finished 10th, T2nd, T14th and 3rd at the Cadillac. If that isn’t enough for you just remember that in 2015 he was 5th in rough proximity, showing he is good when in the rough.
Henrik Stenson
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T5 | T8 | T15 | T47 | T52 | T22 |
Top-tens in three of his last four Florida starts including a T5th last year at Bay Hill. Has knocked on the door of winning, just has to have someone open that door for him.
Keegan Bradley
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2 | T3 | CUT |
Very impressive in last two Bay Hill starts, the 3rd and then 2nd could go to a Win this week. Year hasn’t been very impressive other than his T4th at Northern Trust last month.
Best of the rest:
Brooks Koepka
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T26 |
Has calmed a bit since his Phoenix win, but this guy is perfect for Bay Hill. One stat that jumps out you is finishing 2nd in rough proximity in 2014, he also is a cool customer that can do the deed this week.
Jason Day
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T45 | T25 | WD | CUT |
Can’t forget about this kid, his game cooled down a bit at Doral but look for it to heat up again.
Adam Scott
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
3 | CUT | CUT | T30 | T3 | T25 |
The third time is always the charm, has played indifferently in his first two starts. But comes to a course he has come close to winning on twice, last year and in 2004.
Kevin Na
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T14 | T4 | T30 | T2 | T11 | CUT | CUT |
Watch him this week, he has been knocking on the door the last couple of weeks and he has played well in three of his last four Bay Hill starts.
J.B. Holmes
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T10 | T29 | T47 | T21 | T40 | T59 | T77 | T48 |
Last time we saw him he came close at Doral. Played well last year at Bay Hill so you never know.
Solid contenders
Rory McIlroy
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
First time playing in this event |
More info:
His game has lots of peaks and valleys, of late has been in one of those valleys we just have to ask ourselves if he is going to climb a peak this week? Hasn’t played here, look for a top-ten but that’s about it.
Ian Poulter
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T20 | T21 | 3 | T12 | CUT | T48 | CUT | CUT | CUT |
Has played good here in past, have to think his game is in a right spot after what he did at Honda.
Vijay Singh
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T20 | T57 | T24 | CUT | T59 | T3 | Win | 7 | T2 | T31 | T20 |
Another one of those coming back, he has played well in the last month and I wouldn’t be surprise to see him in the winners circle again on the PGA Tour.
Harris English
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T14 | T57 | CUT |
Fighting hard to make it into the top-50 and play in the Masters, think he will have a great week.
Long shots that could come through:
Sam Saunders
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T43 | CUT | T30 | T50 | CUT |
Has played a lot of rounds at Bay Hill, wouldn’t it be great to see him in the running at Gramps tournament?
Sean O’Hair
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
T10 | T40 | T29 | CUT | T21 | 2 | T3 | T14 | WD |
Came close to winning last week, he could do one better this week.
Daniel Summerhays
2015 | ’14 | ’13 | ’12 | ’11 | ’10 | ’09 | ’08 | ’07 | ’06 | ’05 | ’04 | ’03 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
CUT | T33 | CUT |
Has played well of late.
Thank you for the excellent analysis, Sal.
Per usual, great work! But why no mention of Matsuyama?
I just don’t think he’s ready to win yet. I am a big fan of his and think he will win a lot, just not right now.
Great stuff Sal. Good luck this week.
Sal,……I respect your reasoning, so thanks!