The Arnold Palmer Invitational will be played at Bay Hill Club and Lodge (par 72, 7,466 yards, Bermuda greens) in Orlando, Florida. This has been the home of this event since 1979 and Russell Henley (-11) won last year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational by one shot. As a Signature Event, there will be 72 golfers competing this week for a $20 million purse. After the first two rounds, there will be a cut with the top-50 and ties and any player within 10 shots of the lead advancing.
Below, I have featured my two favorite bets for the Arnold Palmer Invitational on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Jake Knapp for a top-10 finish including ties (+315)
Knapp finished T-57 in his only start at Bay Hill two years ago, but this is rather irrelevant, as the smooth ball-striker is playing far better golf nowadays. This season, Knapp has been one of the best players on the PGA TOUR. The 31-year-old has finished T-11, T-5, eighth, T-8 and sixth, in that order.
Both of those final two finishes came at Signature Events and Knapp has shot under par in 18 of his 20 rounds. Notably, Scottie Scheffler has more over par rounds than Knapp this season. Overall, Knapp ranks third in total strokes gained on the PGA TOUR, trailing only Scheffler and Rory McIlroy.
Knapp leads the PGA TOUR in par five performance and he ranks eighth in SGP, both of which are great signs for Bay Hill. Of the past five winners at this par 72, three have finished the event top-three in par five efficiency and three have finished the event top-10 in SGP. Knapp’s game fits Bay Hill well and he should remain hot this week.
Jacob Bridgeman for a top-20 finish including ties (+160)
Bridgeman has been lights out this season and he shouldn’t slow down at Bay Hill. Bridgeman broke through for his first PGA TOUR win at the Genesis Invitational two weeks ago, which like the Arnold Palmer Invitational, is a Signature Event that features the PGA TOUR’s best players competing for a $20 million purse.
In this order, Bridgeman has finished T-4, T-13, T-18, T-8 and first this season. Just like Knapp, Bridgeman has shot under par in all but two of his 20 rounds. Bridgeman ranks fourth in total strokes gained. More specifically, the 26-year-old ranks first in SGP, sixth in SG APP and seventh in par five performance.
Bridgeman finished T-15 in his debut at Bay Hill a year ago and returning to the venue 93 spots higher in the world golf rankings at No. 19, he should comfortably finish inside the top-20 once again.
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