Rory McIlroy last won a tournament in 2019, when he took down the WGC-HSBC Champions. Now, the Northern Irishman will try to get back into the winner’s circle at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, where he comes in as the favorite to finally end his 27-month drought.
FanDuel Sportsbook lists McIlroy as the +850 pick to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
McIlroy knows how to win at Arnold’s invitational
McIlroy will benefit from a relatively weak field, though some top players like Viktor Hovland (+1200), Bryson DeChambeau (+1300), and Patrick Reed (+2100) are participating. But it’s mostly McIlroy’s previous success at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and a recent return to form, that have bookmakers giving the 31-year-old lots of respect heading into the tournament.
McIlroy won the 2018 Arnold Palmer, and has historically performed well in Florida. He’s also coming off a solid performance at the Workday Championship, where he shot 12-under-par to finish tied for sixth, six shots behind Collin Morikawa.
“I’m still searching a little bit,†McIlroy told reporters after that result. “There were signs that there’s some good stuff in there. I think if anything, I felt good with the putter this week, changed from the spider back to the blade which felt good, which was nice. I was a little better off the tee as well, and my wedges were good.â€
Tyrrell Hatton (+1700) will attempt to defend his title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. That was Hatton’s first PGA Tour win, and he’s still looking to follow up on that success.
“I feel confident when I go to a tournament if I know that my swing’s in a good place and I can kind of, if I manage my emotions well throughout the week then, sure, I’ll give myself a chance,†Hatton told reporters.
Spieth finding his form
Another golfer looking to return to his winning ways is Jordan Spieth (+3000), who hasn’t won a tournament since the 2017 Open Championship. Spieth didn’t even qualify for the WGC-Workday Championship last weekend, but has shown signs of contending this season, with two top-five finishes and three top-20s in his past three events.
Spieth added the Arnold Palmer Invitational in an effort to round himself into shape for upcoming tournaments.
| Arnold Palmer Invitational Odds (via FanDuel Sportsbook) | |
| Rory McIlroy: +850 | Viktor Hovland: +1200 |
| Bryson DeChambeau: +1300 | Tyrrell Hatton: +1700 |
| Matthew Fitzpatrick: +2000 | Patrick Reed: +2100 |
| Sangjae Im: +2300 | Paul Casey: +2400 |
“Honestly, I haven’t had much success at The Players Championship, so being able to get some reps and continue trying to work hard on the game leading into The Players could really help next week,†Spieth said earlier this week. “If I can kind of just go about it really patiently this week, I think I’ll find that kind of blend that I still kind of need right now.â€
Other contenders are coming into the Arnold Palmer Invitational from a variety of different angles. While Hovland has scored four top-five finishes in his last five starts, DeChambeau missed the cut at the Genesis Open and then finished tied for 22nd at the Workday Championship – though he has finished in the top five twice in four starts in this event.