PGA Tour Brunch | Arnold Palmer Invitational & Puerto Rico Open
PGA Tour Brunch Previews AP/Bay Hill and Puerto Rico Open
By TERRY LYONS, Editor of Digital Sports Desk
ORLANDO - The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is the eighth event of the 2026 PGA TOUR Season and the third of eight Signature Events. Like all Signature Events, the limited-field event offers increased FedExCup points (700) and a heightened purse ($20 million), however, additional elements set the three player-hosted events apart (The Genesis Invitational, Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard and the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday):
Only Signature Events to feature a cut: 36-hole cut, low 50 players and ties and any additional players within 10 strokes of the 36-hole lead
Twenty percent prize allocation to winner ($4 million), up from 18 percent
One tournament host exemption, not restricted to PGA TOUR members: The Genesis Invitational (Sahith Theegala, Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption/finished T22), Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard (Daniel Bennett, Arnold Palmer Cup Exemption), the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday (TBD/Jack Nicklaus Award)
The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is the first of four PGA TOUR events (the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday, RBC Canadian Open, Genesis Scottish Open) that is part of The Open Qualifying Series (OQS).
One spot will be available this week into the 154th Open at Royal Birkdale. The top player, not otherwise exempt, that makes the cut at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard will earn an exemption. In the event of a tie for a qualifying place, the player with the higher ranking in the OWGR at the beginning of the week will earn the spot.
There has not been a playoff at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard since 1999; in the 26 events since then, 14 have been decided by one stroke.
The 2025 FedEx Cup champion, Tommy Fleetwood, will make his 10th start at this event, with three top-10 finishes (T10/2017, T3/2019, T10/2021); most recently finished T11 in 2025.
Puerto Rico Open:
The Puerto Rico Open marks the 18-year anniversary since the first playing of the event in 2008 at Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande, Puerto Rico. This tournament is home to 11 first-time winners, notably Tony Finau (2016), Viktor Hovland (2020) and Nico Echavarria (2023).
The winner will receive 300 FedExCup points, a two-year exemption on the PGA TOUR and an invitation to next week’s PLAYERS Championship (if not previously eligible)
The field features:
Two of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking: No. 42 Michael Brennan, No. 48 Rasmus Højgaard
Two past champions: Brice Garnett (2024), Ryan Brehm (2022)
Six players who finished inside the top 10 at the 2025 Puerto Rico Open: Rasmus Neergard-Peterson (2nd), Kieron Van Wyk (T4), Matti Schmid (T6), Davis Riley (T6), Carson Young (T10), Brandt Snedeker (T10)
Forty TOUR winners with 84 combined wins, led by Brandt Snedeker (9), Camilo Villegas (5), Jonathan Byrd (5)
Players with local ties to Puerto Rico: Rafael Campos, Chris Nido, Evan Pena, Reinaldo Simoni.
Please note: Going forward this week, PGA Tour Brunch will focus 99% of the coverage on the Arnold Palmer Invitational Signature event, but will add the leaderboard and a couple links to keep readers posted on the Puerto Rico Open.
Arnold Palmer Invitational | Tournament Facts
COURSE: Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge, Orlando, Florida
YARDS/PAR: 7,466 yards/Par 72
ARCHITECTS: Dick Wilson/Joe Lee
PRIZE Money - Purse: $20,000,000 with Winner: $4,000,000
DEFENDING CHAMPION: Russell Henley
PAST RESULTS: (link)
OVERVIEW: (link)
FEDEx CUP Points to Winner: 700
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedExCup @APInv and @PuertoRicoOpen
How to Watch: Please visit: Golf Week)
Arnold Palmer Invitational | The Basics
The Tee Times at Bay Hill will run from 7:40am (ET) to 1:50pm (ET) today.
Weather: Thursday’s Orlando-area forecast calls for mostly sunny skies but a 15% chance of rain. Temps reaching 85-degrees (F). Winds at 12 mph.
Tournament Web Site: (link)
FedEx Cup Info: (link)
Puerto Rico’s Tee Times run from 5:45am to 11:59am (ET) - (1 hour time difference)
Puerto Rico Open Overview: (link)
PGA Tour Brunch will post at 6:30am (ET) Thursday.
Media Coverage of the PGA Tour | Thursday
Coverage on Thursday, March 5, 2025 - All Times Eastern (Puerto Rico + 1 hour)
7:30am-6pm - Arnold Palmer - ESPN+ Streaming
10:00am-1:00pm - Puerto Rico Open on Golf Channel
12 noon-6pm - SiriusXM PGA Tour Radio
2:00pm-6:00pm - Arnold Palmer on Golf Channel
2:00pm-6:00pm - Arnold Palmer on Peacock Network and NBC Sports app
How to Watch: (link)
Puerto Rico: (link)
Arnold Palmer Invitational | Field, Updates, Tee Times
The Field: (link)
Nico Echavarria (IN; Aon Next 10)
Austin Smotherman (IN; Aon Next 10)
Taylor Moore (IN; Aon Swing 5)
Keith Mitchell (IN; Aon Swing 5)
Joel Dahmen (IN; fill the field)
Jordan Spieth (IN; Sponsor Exemption)
Max Greyserman (IN; Sponsor Exemption)
The following players fell out of the field since Friday:
Haotong Li
Stephan Jaeger
Kevin Roy
Tony Finau
Arnold Palmer Tee Times: (link) - 7:40am-1:50pm (ET)
Arnold Palmer Tournament Leaderboard: (link)
Puerto Rico Field: (link)
Puerto Rico Updates:
Saturday, February 28
Greyson Sigg WD / Ben Martin IN
Adam Schenk WD / Jonathan Byrd IN
Sunday, March 1
Dan Brown WD / Martin Laird IN
William Mouw WD / Tyler Duncan IN
Austin Smotherman WD / Austin Cook IN
Nicolai Højgaard WD / S.Y. Noh IN
Taylor Moore WD / Scott Piercy IN
Andrew Putnam WD / Ryan Palmer IN
Joel Dahmen WD / Chesson Hadley IN
Jordan Smith WD / Fabian Gomez IN
Emiliano Grillo WD / James Hahn IN
Brendon Todd WD / Troy Merritt IN
Monday, March 2
Patton Kizzire WD / William McGirt IN
S.Y. Noh WD / Nick Watney IN
Nick Watney WD / Robert Streb IN
Haotong Li WD / Adam Long IN
Puerto Rico Open Leaderboard: (link)
What They’re Saying
Power Ranking Leading Into Bay Hill (PGATourCom)
Sub-plots at Arnold Palmer (PGATourCom)
How to Watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday (PGATourCom)
CBS Sports HQ/Golf (CBSSports)
Lasting Legacy of Arnie (PGATourCom)
Sports Gambling, Daily Fantasy and Industry News
Golf Week’s Picks (Golf Week)
Expert Picks for Bay Hill - (PGATourCom)
The Overall Money List - (Golf Week)
NBC Sports Extends with PGA of America, Ryder Cup - (Golf Week)
On This Day in Golf History
March 4, 1991 - Rocco Mediate became the first player on the PGA Tour to win with the infamous “long putter” when he defeated Curtis Strange on the first hole of a sudden death playoff of a weather-delayed Monday finish at the Doral Ryder Open in Miami. . (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
Parting Putt
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