After a superb conclusion to the Honda Classic last weekend, the PGA Tour remains on the east coast as the world’s leading players remain in Florida for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Rahm Eager to Claim First Victory of Year
Jon Rahm has teed up five times this year, starting as a clear favourite on each occasion, and the world number one has assumed market leadership again for this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
Rahm is 15/2 for the high-class gathering in Orlando, Florida, which also features the world number four, Viktor Hovland, and number five, Rory McIlroy. Rahm has played plenty of good golf this year but has not won anything.
The Spaniard was extremely unlucky to leave the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii at the start of the year with no silverware – he carded a 33-under-par total but was pipped by Cameron Smith. Since then, the closest Rahm has come to success was third place in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.
The 27-year-old is hugely consistent, relentlessly appearing on leaderboards and often rewarding his backers with place returns, but victories have not been flowing.
Rahm has won only one tournament in the last 17 months – the 2020 US Open – and this week, he is making his Bay Hill debut.
Scheffler Can Continue Rise up Rankings
A maiden PGA Tour title came in the Phoenix Open for Scottie Scheffler last month, then the 25-year-old Texan followed up with a seventh place in the Genesis Invitational, moving up to sixth in the world rankings.
The 16/1 chance has fully established himself as a member of the golfing elite, and Scheffler could deliver a quick follow-up to his breakthrough success by topping the leaderboard on Sunday in the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Scheffler is finally reaping the rewards for his super-consistent ball-striking. His confidence levels rocketed after he beat Jon Rahm in the Sunday singles on his Ryder Cup debut in September – and Scheffler should become a prolific PGA Tour champion. This is his second start in the Arnold Palmer Invitational – he was 15th when making his debut in his rookie season – and the stiff tee-to-green test suits him well. The forecast for some weekend breeze holds no fears for Scheffler, and he could be the man to beat.
Bezuidenhout Seems Lively Outsider
The 50/1 about Christiaan Bezuidenhout seems worth considering, especially as the accurate South African appears to have been handed a good set of tee-times to work from. The first day and the second morning are forecast to be entirely wind-free, so Bezuidenhout has a great opportunity to make merry from a late Thursday, early Friday draw.
The three-time European Tour champion loves the Florida Swing of the PGA Tour. He has finished 18th and seventh in his two Bay Hill starts, despite final rounds of 79 and 73.
Nerves have got the better of Bezuidenhout when contending at Bay Hill in the past, but at the age of 27, with trophies on his mantelpiece and more PGA Tour experience under his belt, this fine talent may take any chance which comes his way on Sunday. Each-way terms of a quarter, the first five are available.
*All odds correct at time of writing.