The green jacket of the Masters is the most famous symbol of victory on the PGA Tour, but the red cardigan holds its own prestigious status. The red cardigan worn by Arnold Palmer Invitational champions is an icon of "The King" Arnold Palmer, who enjoyed unparalleled popularity.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the PGA Tour's Signature events with a total purse of $20 million, tees off Thursday afternoon (Korea time) at Bay Hill Club & Lodge (par 72) in Orlando, Florida. This year marks the 10th anniversary of Palmer's death (1929-2016), adding special significance to the red cardigan.
Only 72 qualified elite players will compete, with those making the cut at tied 50th or better after two rounds battling for the $4 million winner's prize (approximately 5.85 billion won), 700 FedExCup points, a three-year Tour card, and entry to The Players Championship through 2028.
Among the stellar field, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler (USA) and No. 2 Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland) stand out. Scheffler, who won this event in 2022 and 2024, seeks to reclaim the title in another even-numbered year and secure his second victory of the season. McIlroy, the 2018 champion, is knocking on the door for his first win of the season.
This marks their third head-to-head matchup this season. In the two previous Signature events—the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Genesis Invitational—Scheffler finished tied 4th and tied 14th respectively, while McIlroy placed tied 14th and tied 2nd, splitting decisions. Scheffler has shown a pattern of recovering from slow starts to finish 3rd, 4th, and 12th in three tournaments since winning his season debut at The American Express, making a strong first-round start crucial for adding another victory. McIlroy, who has competed in this event for 11 consecutive years through last year with six top-10 finishes, has sharpened his game after finishing tied 2nd at the Genesis Invitational.
Other contenders include Shane Lowry (Ireland), who narrowly missed victory at the recent Cognizant Classic after consecutive double bogeys down the stretch, and defending champion Russell Henley (USA), who won by one stroke last year with a chip-in eagle on the 16th hole (par 5).
Korean players Im Sung-jae and Kim Si-woo are in the field. Im, who has been recovering and rehabilitating from a wrist injury, returns to PGA Tour competition for the first time in nearly five months since the Shriners Children's Open last October. Kim, ranked 28th in the world—highest among Korean players—has posted three top-10 finishes in six events this season, demonstrating consistent form.
Bay Hill Golf Course measures 7,466 yards with 84 bunkers. The greens average approximately 700 square meters, the fourth-largest on the PGA Tour, and run exceptionally fast, making long and accurate iron play combined with precise putting the keys to low scores.
The most famous hole is the 6th (par 5). This horseshoe-shaped hole curves left around a lake, where Bryson DeChambeau (USA) suggested in 2024 he could reach the green in one with a 360-yard drive over the water. In a famous incident from 1998, John Daly (USA) attempted to attack the green directly with his driver, dumped his ball in the lake, and carded an 18.
By the numbers, "The Tiger" Tiger Woods (USA) owns this course. Woods won this event eight times—in 2000-2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2013—making him the only player with three or more victories here.