The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard begins Thursday at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, the third Signature Event of the 2026 PGA Tour season. Justin Thomas returns after six months sidelined by back surgery, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler eyes victory despite slow starts, Collin Morikawa seeks redemption, and underdogs like Joel Dahmen add intrigue to the 72-player field.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational features a 72-player field including 19 of the top 20 in the Official World Golf Ranking, a $20 million purse ($4 million to the winner), and a 36-hole cut for the top 50 and ties or within 10 strokes of the lead. Bay Hill Club & Lodge, a 7,466-yard par-72 layout, ranks among the Tour's toughest, demanding elite ball-striking with water on nine holes, thick rough, and emphasis on accurate or long drives. Past winners like two-time champion Scottie Scheffler highlight its challenges.
Scheffler (+310 favorite) leads the world rankings by nearly double over Rory McIlroy. Despite wins like The American Express and top-12s in all starts, he has opened with 74, 72, and 73 in his last three events. "Last year on TOUR I led the TOUR in first-round, second-round, third-round and fourth-round scoring," he said, noting a tiny sample size, 13 solid rounds out of 16 this year, and leading first-round scoring for three years running (67.91 in 2023 to 67.45 last season). He tees off Thursday at 10:20 a.m. ET with defending champion Russell Henley, who seeks a repeat not seen since 2015.
Justin Thomas returns Thursday afternoon after microdiscectomy surgery in November 2025 for a disc issue causing hip pain. His last stroke-play event was September's Procore Championship. "I’ve got to be realistic, I haven't played a tournament in six months," Thomas said, feeling 100% physically but expecting competitive rust and prioritizing mental prep on the demanding track.
Collin Morikawa, after winning the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am with a borrowed putter, tested equipment for Bay Hill's faster Bermudagrass greens. He lost a 54-hole lead here in 2025. "I don't know if you really get over any of your losses," he said, crediting Mark O'Meara: "You just have to be able to just kind of mellow those out and enjoy the process." Morikawa praised underdog paths: "You have to go and earn it."
Underdogs enrich the field. Joel Dahmen, 38, lost his full Tour card last year but clinched the final spot by five FedEx Cup points over Jordan Spieth via T7 at Torrey Pines and bogey-free T9 at Cognizant Classic. "It’s nice to hang out with the big kids this week," Dahmen said. Korn Ferry grad Austin Smotherman qualified with a Cognizant runner-up.
