The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational is the third signature event of the PGA Tour season, and this field should be the most stacked of them all due to a notable return.
Justin Thomas is slated to make his 2026 debut after undergoing microdiscectomy surgery for his back and will be playing in a professional tournament for the first time since the Ryder Cup in September. This week’s tournament favorite, Scottie Scheffler, is seeking his third win in five years at Bay Hill.
Collin Morikawa, who nearly won last year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational, is among the contenders based on betting odds just a few weeks removed from his first PGA Tour win in more than two years. Russell Henley is the defending champion.
Will it be one of golf’s big names who wins Arnie’s annual event, or is a surprising winner in the cards? Here are the latest predictions, odds and picks ahead of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, as well as how to watch the PGA Tour’s latest signature event of the 2026 season:
When does the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational start?
The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational is scheduled to begin with first round action on Thursday, March 5, with tee times starting at 7:40 a.m. ET at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. The tournament concludes with final round action on Sunday, March 8.
Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026 odds: Favorites to win PGA Tour signature event
Scottie Scheffler (+333)
Rory McIlroy (+900)
Tommy Fleetwood (+1800)
Collin Morikawa (+2200)
Matt Fitzpatrick (+2200)
Xander Schauffele (+2200)
Hideki Matsuyama (+3000)
2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational predictions
Golfweek: Six experts, six different picks
Cameron Jourdan: Collin Morikawa (+2200)
Todd Kelly: Rickie Fowler (+5000)
Jason Lusk: Rory McIlroy (+900)
Adam Schupak: Matt Fitzpatrick (+2200)
Nick Stavas: Scottie Scheffler (+333)
Tim Schmitt: Si Woo Kim (+3300)
Sports Illustrated: Jake Knapp (+3300)
‘Can’t look past just how well Jake Knapp has played this season. He has finished inside the Top 11 in all five of his starts and he enters this week ranking second in scoring average and third in total strokes gained. Knapp also leads the PGA Tour in Par 5 scoring average, which is a crucial ingredient for success at Bay Hill.’
New York Post: Viktor Hovland (+3300)
‘If you look beyond his showing here last year, there’s a lot to like about Hovland’s profile for this event. He’s had a decent start to 2026 with a T14 at the Dubai Desert Classic and a top-10 finish at the Waste Management, plus his overall record at Bay Hill is pretty solid. He finished second to Scheffler in 2022 and then followed that up with a T10 in 2023.’
Arnold Palmer Invitational sleeper picks
Golfweek: Pierceson Coody (+5500)
Coody made his tournament debut here in 2023 and finished 14th, his only start at Bay Hill. He’s playing even better now than he was then, making him a real sleeper this week. His 1.65 strokes gained from tee-to-green ranks eighth in the field since the start of the season, and he’s gaining strokes across the board in all 5 major categories.
PGATour.com: Sepp Straka (+5500)
‘While (Straka) is not even close to a traditional sleeper, even in this robust field, these odds defend the nod. Consider that he finished T5 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard last year after opening with a 5-over 77. He had rallied with a potent combination of accuracy on approach, elite touch around greens and one of his best performances of the year with the putter. When right, he’s the total package, which is what Bay Hill Club & Lodge requires. Also recently put four sturdy rounds together for a T2 at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am.’
Draftkings Network: Sahith Theegala (+9000)
‘Six starts have yielded three top 20s and two top 10 finishes, one of which came on another target golf course in Palm Springs at the American Express. On top of the solid placings, Theegala has also showcased the sort of control needed to win around Bay Hill. He’s been gaining on approach at better rates than he has in years past and is coming off a solid ball-striking week at the Genesis, where he fell back to T22, but still managed to gain 2.0 strokes on approach and shot 68-67 on the weekend to end his tournament. Experience-wise, Theegala has shown us he likely has what it takes to find a win someday on these challenging Florida layouts.’
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How to watch Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026: TV, live streaming
All times ET
First round, Thursday, March 5
Golf Channel: 2-6 p.m.
ESPN+: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Second round, Friday, March 6
Golf Channel: 2-6 p.m.
ESPN+: 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Third round, Saturday, March 7
Golf Channel: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
NBC/Peacock: 2:30-6 p.m.
ESPN+: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Final round, Sunday, March 8
Golf Channel: 12:30-2:30 p.m.
NBC/Peacock: 2:30-6 p.m.
ESPN+: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
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