PGA Tour Brunch on the Arnold Palmer Invitational (R-2)
Rory McIlroy and Corey Conners opened with (66s) to share the 18-hole lead. McIlroy has finished T-6 or better in four consecutive years at this event, including a win in 2018. McIlroy is in search of his first victory on Tour since the 2019 World Golf Championships-HSBC Champions.
Conners leads the field in Strokes Gained: Approach the Green at (5.550), the most in a round by a player on Tour in the category this season. He played his first seven holes in 6-under, his best score through seven holes in a round on Tour.
Connors hit 15 of 18 greens in regulation and is tied with Matthew Fitzpatrick for most in the field after R-1.
Si Woo Kim withdrew at the end of the first round.
Defending champion Tyrrell Hatton recorded a 5-over (77), his highest score on Tour since the 2020 U.S. Open (78) in (R2).
Leaderboard After Opening Round:
Rory McIlroy 66 (-6)
Corey Conners 66 (-6)
Bryson DeChambeau 67 (-5)
Jason Kokrak 68 (-4)
Byeong Hun An 68 (-4)
Sebastian Munoz 68 (-4)
Full Leaderboard - (link)
Field Update:
Louis Oosthuizen (out) / Pat Perez (in)
KEY INFO: The ARNOLD PALMER INVITATIONAL
PRIZE Money/First Place Winnings: $9,300,000/$1,674,000
DEFENDING Champion: Tyrrell Hatton (2020 Leaderboard link)
PAST RESULTS: (link)
PAST CHAMPIONS of Event: (link)
FEDEx CUP Winner Share for points: 550
SOCIAL MEDIA: #PGATour #FedEXCup @APinv
TV COVERAGE: Friday, March 5: 2:00pm to 6:00pm ET on Golf Channel. Saturday, March 6: 12:30pm to 2:30pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 2:30pm to 6:00pm (ET) on NBC. Sunday, March 7: 12:30pm to 2:30pm (ET) on Golf Channel and 2:30pm to 6:00pm (ET) on NBC.
STREAMING: PGA Tour Live will offer streaming coverage of Featured Groups today from 6:45am to 6:00pm (ET); and on Saturday (8:00am-2:30pm ET) and Sunday (8:00am-2:30pm ET), PGA Tour Live will stream Featured Holes on Saturday (3:00pm to 6:00pm ET) and Sunday from 2:30pm to 6:00pm (ET).
PGA TOUR RADIO COVERAGE: Friday, March 5 - 12:00pm to 6:00pm (ET); then Saturday, March 6 and Sunday, March 7: (1:00pm to 6:00pm (ET)) on Sirius XM Satellite Radio. PGA Tour Radio is available on Sirius 208/XM 92) or online on PGATour.com.
TOURNAMENT SITE (link)
March Madness Discount Offering:
What They’re Saying:
McIlroy and Connors Share Lead at Bay Hill - (ESPN/AP)
McIlroy Co-Leads; DeChambeau Plays well (CBS Sports)
Spieth Builds Momentum (PGATourCom)
#SportsBiz, Sporting Gambling and Golf Industry News
Tiger Woods Doesn’t Remember Crash (CBS Sports)
Paramount+ Streaming Golf (CBS Sports)
On This Day in Golf History:
March 5, 2015 - J.B. Holmes fired an opening round (62) on The Blue Moster at the Doral Country Club to begin the World Golf Championship. Holmes’ record-tying round was played when the overall scoring average was 73.39, almost 11 1/2 strokes away. Dustin Johnson would end up winning the tournament (-9), a stroke better than Holmes. Holmes’ (62) equalled the 1991 round carded by Greg Norman. (Courtesy of Randy Walker), Author of On This Day in Golf History, available via Amazon.com and by clicking HERE
