2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational preview: Expert picks, predictions as Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy return
CBSN
The second player-hosted invitational and third signature event of the year goes down this week at Arnie's Place
The third signature event of the season is already upon us as a field of 72 players sets a course for Bay Hill Club & Lodge and the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational. Representing the second player-hosted invitational, the tournament will look a lot like the Genesis Invitational, as there will be a cut to the top 50 players and ties (as well as those within 10 strokes of the lead) at the halfway point.
Surprisingly, this was top of mind at Riviera as world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler was forced to make an 8-foot par putt on his 36th hole to see the weekend. Returning to a happy hunting ground that is Bay Hill, the two-time tournament champion will look to put a slew of slow starts behind him as the PGA Tour continues its shift to the East Coast.
Scheffler remains atop the PGA Tour in overall scoring average and total strokes gained despite ranking outside the top 100 in Round 1 scoring average. He looks to grab his third cardigan in the last five years, while world No. 2 Rory McIlroy moves toward his second. Doing everything but winning since claiming this title in 2018, McIlroy has made his presence known in his first two starts on the PGA Tour in 2026.
McIlroy making a trip to the winner's circle feels inevitable at this point as he continues to operate at an elite level. The same can be said for the likes of Tommy Fleetwood and Jake Knapp, the latter of whom has been the second-best player -- according to strokes gained and overall scoring average -- on the PGA Tour this young season.
Recent winners like Collin Morikawa and Justin Rose hope to continue their momentum in Florida, while Jacob Bridgeman and Chris Gotterup gear up for their tournament debuts. Fan favorites Justin Thomas and Sungjae Im both return to action after missing the first couple of months of the season due to injury.
