The PGA Tour pays its annual homage to one of modern golf’s forefathers with this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge near Orlando, Fla. Below, we look at the fantasy golf power rankings and odds for the 2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational.
A field of 123 descends on Bay Hill this week. Viktor Hovland is the top player in the field at No. 4 in the Golfweek/Sagarin world rankings. Rory McIlroy (No. 9), Bryson DeChambeau (No. 11), Will Zalatoris (No. 12) and defending-champion Tyrrell Hatton (No. 13) are also among the week’s betting favorites.
Xander Schauffele, Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm, ranked No. 1-3 in the Golfweek rankings, respectively, can be expected to return to competition for next week’s Players Championship.
Also see:
2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational: Fantasy Golf Top 30
Odds provided by BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Odds last updated Tuesday at 7:25 a.m. ET.
30. Shane Lowry (+12500)
The long-reigning Open Championship winner tied for 48th at last week’s WGC-Workday Championship in his 2021 PGA Tour debut. He missed the cut in each of his three appearances in this event dating back to 2015.
29. Zach Johnson (+10000)
No one in the field has played more tournament rounds at Bay Hill than Johnson’s 66. He has averaged 1.38 strokes gained on the field per round.
28. Henrik Stenson (+10000)
Only seven players in this field average more strokes gained per round than Stenson’s 2.00 over 44 career rounds here. This will be his first PGA Tour event since a T-23 finish at The RSM Classic in the fall swing.
27. Kevin Na (+4000)
Tied for 11th last week at The Concession Golf Club with 1.42 SG: Around-the-Green per round. Doesn’t have a top-10 result in this event since 2015.
26. Si Woo Kim (+10000)
Missed the cut here each of the last three years but comes into the 2021 event with a win already this season and an average of 0.26 SG: Off-the-Tee per round.
25. Harris English (+4000)
Finished 66th in last week’s 72-man field following back-to-back missed cuts at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and Farmers Insurance Open. Tied for ninth here last year and excelled on and around the greens.
24. Max Homa (+4000)
The winner of The Genesis Invitational tied for 22nd in last week’s elite field. He’s 33rd on Tour in Birdie or Better Percentage.
23. Louis Oosthuizen (+3300)
Tied for sixth last week for his best finish in three events this year. He tied for ninth here in 2015 but hasn’t won anywhere in the world since the 2018 South African Open.
22. Jason Day (+3300)
Started 2021 with back-to-back missed cuts but tied for seventh at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and for 18th last week. He’s averaging 0.50 SG: Off-the-Tee and 0.81 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.
21. Alex Noren (+8000)
Tied for 12th in a similar field at The Genesis Invitational. He gained 0.91 strokes per round on approach that week but also had one of his better performances of the season with the driver.
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20. Corey Conners (+8000)
Missed the cut each of the last two years here due to poor putting performances. He’s gaining strokes with the putter this season and is averaging 1.26 SG: Tee-to-Green per round.
19. Sam Burns (+4000)
Tied for 14th on Tour in Par 4 Efficiency: 450-500 Yards and should be one of the few able to score this week on one of Bay Hill’s most common but difficult holes. Made the cut in each of his first three appearances in this event.
18. Billy Horschel (+3500)
Tied for second last week with 1.39 SG: Putting per round on Bermuda greens. Also averaged 1.09 SG: Off-the-Tee last week and will need to lean on those same two strengths.
17. Jordan Spieth (+2800)
Oddly will make his very first appearance at this event. Tied for 15th at The Genesis Invitational following a T-3 in Pebble Beach and a T-4 at the Phoenix Open.
16. Christaan Bezuidenhout (+8000)
Finished T-18 in his debut at this event last year. Last year’s tournament was played in strong winds, and he leaned on his putter with 0.99 SG: Putting per round.
15. Hideki Matsuyama (+2800)
Hasn’t finished in the top 10 here since a T-6 in 2016. Tied for 14th in last week’s loaded field with 1.64 SG: Around-the-Green per round.
14. Will Zalatoris (+4000)
Averaging 1.00 SG: Approach and 1.61 SG: Tee-to-Green per round through 28 measured rounds on his rookie PGA Tour season. Will need to be better with the putter after losing 1.20 strokes per round on the Bermuda greens last week.
13. Tommy Fleetwood (+4000)
Finished T-10 in 2017 and T-3 in 2019 before a missed cut last year. He typically plays his best PGA Tour golf in Florida at this time of the year.
12. Jason Kokrak (+4000)
Won last year’s CJ Cup at a comparable course in Shadow Creek. His putting stroke returned to form with 1.05 SG: Putting last week. Has averaged 1.33 strokes gained on the field over 28 rounds played here.
11. Justin Rose (+6600)
Only three members of the field have more rounds played here than his 50 and his 1.42 strokes gained per round lead that group. He missed the cut last year but has a runner-up finish and two third-place showings since 2011.
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10. Paul Casey (+2500)
Hasn’t played since a T-5 finish at Pebble Beach but already has three top-10 finishes in four international events in 2021, including a victory at the European Tour’s Omega Dubai Desert Classic.
9. Marc Leishman (+5000)
The 2017 champion was the runner-up last year. He typically putts well on these greens, and he averaged 1.23 SG: Putting last week on Bermudagrass.
8. Sungjae Im (+2200)
Finished third or T-3 each of the last two years in this event. Last year’s tournament was the week after he got his first PGA Tour win at The Honda Classic. Leads the field with 2.99 strokes gained per round at Bay Hill.
7. Viktor Hovland (+1100)
Has already played this event twice with a T-40 finish in 2019 and a T-42 last year. His much-improved short game and putting should boost him into contention this year.
6. Francesco Molinari (+2800)
The 2019 champion withdrew last year due to a back injury. He’s returning to his old form with three top-10 finishes in just four PGA Tour events this calendar year.
5. Patrick Reed (+2000)
Has a top finish in this event of T-7 in 2018. He already has a win in 2021, and he tied for ninth last week with another strong putting performance.
4. Matthew Fitzpatrick (+2200)
Averages 1.31 strokes gained on the field per round over 20 career rounds at Bay Hill. Tied for ninth in poor weather last year and was the runner-up in better weather in 2019.
3. Bryson DeChambeau (+1200)
Leads this field and the PGA Tour with 1.22 SG: Off-the-Tee per round through 22 measured rounds on the season. Runner-up in 2018 and finished fourth last year. He’s fourth on Tour in Birdie or Better Percentage.
2. Tyrrell Hatton (+1800)
Last year’s champ was among the week’s leaders in SG: Approach and SG: Tee-to-Green. He tied for 22nd last week with 1.13 SG: Putting but 1.63 strokes lost around-the-green per round.
1. Rory McIlroy (+850)
Second in this field by the Golfweek rankings and second in SG: Off-the-Tee. Seventh on Tour in BoB percentage. Won this event in 2018 and has three other top-10 finishes in his last four appearances.
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