The Bay Hill Club and Lodge is once again the host course for the Arnold Palmer Invitational which gets going later this week and we select 4 players to take on the bookmakers.
THE COURSE
Bay Hill plays to a par 72 and there is no doubt that length off the tee is a big advantage, but at the same time not essential for success.
Course form has proven important here over the years with a number of back-to-back winners and the wind can also be a factor with plenty of bunkers ready to gobble up any wayward shots.
Good news for punters and golf fans alike is that we have a strong field taking to the first tee this week with Scottie Scheffler currently heading the betting at 13/2 ahead of Rory Mcilroy at 9/1. Viktor Hovland is priced at 14/1 and you can get 16/1 and better the balance.
BETTING – Click here to bet
Scottie Scheffler 13/2
Rory Mcilroy 9/1
Viktor Hovland 14/1
Xander Schauffele 16/1
Patrick Cantlay 16/1
Ludvig Aberg 18/1
Jordan Spieth 20/1
22/1 and better the balance, prices correct at the time of posting but subject to change
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PREVIOUS WINNERS
2023 – Kurt Kitayama -9
2022 – Scottie Scheffler -5
2021 – Bryson DeChambeau -11
2020 – Tyrell Hatton -4
2019 – Francesco Molinari -12
There are certainly strong cases to be made for the likes of Scheffler and Mcilroy at the top of the betting boards and Scheffler, the 2022 Champion is certainly a worthy favourite, but of late doesn’t seem to get over the line often enough. Mcilroy’s form in recent weeks has been a bit below his best and I am looking to take that pair on as I search for a bigger price winner.
SELECTIONS:
Suggested Bet: Matt Fitzpatrick each way at 30/1
Fitzpatrick has some excellent form at Bay Hill with a runner-up finish in 2019 and since that time he has only been out the top 10 once and that was his 14th place finish last year. Fitzpatrick’s recent form has been a bit hit and miss with a missed cut in his last start and a 15th place finish in his penultimate start.
Fitzpatrick is one of my favourite players and if his putter is hot he can go close this week.
Suggested Bet: Jordan Spieth each way at 20/1
Spieth was unfortunately disqualified in his last start, but prior to that finished 6th and is showing some signs of coming to form. He certainly enjoys this course having played it in 2021 and 2023 finishing 4th on both occasions.
Suggested Bet: Sungjae Im each way at 50/1
Im has played this event 5 times and his worst finish was 21st in 2023 and 2021. He hasn’t quite reached the heights of the early years where he had two 3rd place finishes in a row in 2019 and 2020.
Im has been making cuts, but he hasn’t been shooting the lights out, something I hope will change when he gets back to a track which he clearly enjoys.
Suggested Bet: Christiaan Bezuidenhout each way at 90/1
It feels good to have a South African in the staking plan even if it is a 90/1 shot.
Bezuidenhout missed the cut here last year, but prior to that had 2 Top 20’s and a Top 10 since debuting here in 2020. Bezuidenhout has been in decent form with a couple of Top 25 finishes in his last 3 starts. Let’s hope the South African can go close this week.
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