Arnold Palmer Invitational

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of only five tournaments given "invitational" status by the PGA Tour, and consequently it has a reduced field of only 120 players (as opposed to most full-field open tournaments with a field of 156 players). The other four tournaments with invitational status are the Genesis Open, RBC Heritage, the Fort Worth Invitational, and the Memorial Tournament. Invitational tournaments have smaller fields (between 120 and 132 players), and have more freedom than full-field open tournaments in determining which players are eligible to participate in their event, as invitational tournaments are not required to fill their fields using the PGA Tour Priority Ranking System. Furthermore, unlike full-field open tournaments, invitational tournaments do not offer open qualifying (aka Monday qualifying).

The field consists of 120 players invited using the following criteria:[6]

1. Arnold Palmer Invitational winners prior to 2000 and in the last five years
2. The Players Championship and major championship winners in the last five years
3. The Tour Championship, World Golf Championships, and Memorial Tournament winners in the past three years
4. Tournament winners in the past year
5. Playing member of last named U.S. Ryder Cup team; current PGA Tour members who were playing members on last named European Ryder Cup team, U.S. Presidents Cup team, and International Presidents Cup team
6. Prior year U.S. Amateur winner (if still an amateur)
7. Top 50 Official World Golf Ranking (as of Friday prior)
8. PGA Tour life members
9. 18 sponsors exemptions– 2 from Web.com Tour finals, 8 members not otherwise exempt, and 8 unrestricted
10. Up to two foreign players designated by the commissioner
11. Top 70 from prior year's FedEx Cup points list
12. Members in top 125 non-member category whose prior year non-WGC points equal or exceed the 70th position on the prior year FedEx Cup points list
13. Top 70 from current year's FedEx Cup points list (as of Friday prior)
14. PGA Section (North Florida) champion/player of the year
15. Remaining positions filled from current year's FedEx Cup points list

Arnold Palmer had a lifetime invitation.

Source:[7]

Year	Player	Country	Score	To par	Margin of victory	Runner(s)-up	Winner's share ($)	Purse ($)
Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard
2020	Tyrrell Hatton	England	284	−4	1 stroke	Marc Leishman	1,674,000	9,300,000
2019	Francesco Molinari	Italy	276	−12	2 strokes	Matthew Fitzpatrick	1,638,000	9,100,000
2018	Rory McIlroy	Northern Ireland	270	−18	3 strokes	Bryson DeChambeau	1,602,000	8,900,000
2017	Marc Leishman	Australia	277	−11	1 stroke	Charley Hoffman Kevin Kisner	1,566,000	8,700,000
2016	Jason Day	Australia	271	−17	1 stroke	Kevin Chappell	1,134,000	6,300,000
2015	Matt Every (2)	United States	269	−19	1 stroke	Henrik Stenson	1,134,000	6,300,000
2014	Matt Every	United States	275	−13	1 stroke	Keegan Bradley	1,116,000	6,200,000
2013	Tiger Woods (8)	United States	275	−13	2 strokes	Justin Rose	1,116,000	6,200,000
2012	Tiger Woods (7)	United States	275	−13	5 strokes	Graeme McDowell	1,080,000	6,000,000
2011	Martin Laird	Scotland	280	−8	1 stroke	Steve Marino	1,080,000	6,000,000
2010	Ernie Els (2)	South Africa	277	−11	2 strokes	Edoardo Molinari Kevin Na	1,080,000	6,000,000
2009	Tiger Woods (6)	United States	275	−5	1 stroke	Sean O'Hair	1,080,000	6,000,000
2008	Tiger Woods (5)	United States	270	−10	1 stroke	Bart Bryant	1,044,000	5,800,000
2007	Vijay Singh	Fiji	272	−8	2 strokes	Rocco Mediate	990,000	5,500,000
Bay Hill Invitational presented by MasterCard
2006	Rod Pampling	Australia	274	−14	1 stroke	Greg Owen	990,000	5,500,000
2005	Kenny Perry	United States	276	−12	2 strokes	Graeme McDowell Vijay Singh	900,000	5,000,000
2004	Chad Campbell	United States	270	−18	6 strokes	Stuart Appleby	900,000	5,000,000
Bay Hill Invitational presented by Cooper Tires
2003	Tiger Woods (4)	United States	269	−19	11 strokes	Stewart Cink Brad Faxon Kenny Perry Kirk Triplett	810,000	4,500,000
2002	Tiger Woods (3)	United States	275	−13	4 strokes	Michael Campbell	720,000	4,000,000
2001	Tiger Woods (2)	United States	273	−15	1 stroke	Phil Mickelson	630,000	3,500,000
2000	Tiger Woods	United States	270	−18	4 strokes	Davis Love III	540,000	3,000,000
1999	Tim Herron	United States	274	−14	Playoff	Tom Lehman	450,000	2,500,000
Bay Hill Invitational presented by Office Depot
1998	Ernie Els	South Africa	274	−14	4 strokes	Bob Estes Jeff Maggert	360,000	2,000,000
1997	Phil Mickelson	United States	272	−16	3 strokes	Stuart Appleby	270,000	1,500,000
1996	Paul Goydos	United States	275	−13	1 stroke	Jeff Maggert	216,000	1,200,000
Nestle Invitational
1995	Loren Roberts (2)	United States	272	−16	2 strokes	Brad Faxon	216,000	1,200,000
1994	Loren Roberts	United States	275	−13	1 stroke	Nick Price Vijay Singh Fuzzy Zoeller	216,000	1,200,000
1993	Ben Crenshaw	United States	280	−8	2 strokes	Davis Love III Rocco Mediate Vijay Singh	180,000	1,000,000
1992	Fred Couples	United States	269	−19	9 strokes	Gene Sauers	180,000	1,000,000
1991	Andrew Magee	United States	203*	−13	2 strokes	Tom Sieckmann	180,000	1,000,000
1990	Robert Gamez	United States	274	−14	1 stroke	Greg Norman	162,000	900,000
1989	Tom Kite (2)	United States	278	−6	Playoff	Davis Love III	144,000	800,000
Hertz Bay Hill Classic
1988	Paul Azinger	United States	271	−13	5 strokes	Tom Kite	135,000	750,000
1987	Payne Stewart	United States	264	−20	3 strokes	David Frost	108,000	600,000
1986	Dan Forsman	United States	202*	−11	1 stroke	Raymond Floyd Mike Hulbert	90,000	500,000
1985	Fuzzy Zoeller	United States	275	−9	2 strokes	Tom Watson	90,000	500,000
Bay Hill Classic
1984	Gary Koch (2)	United States	272	−12	Playoff	George Burns	72,000	400,000
1983	Mike Nicolette	United States	283	−1	Playoff	Greg Norman	63,000	350,000
1982	Tom Kite	United States	278	−6	Playoff	Jack Nicklaus Denis Watson	54,000	300,000
1981	Andy Bean	United States	266	−18	7 strokes	Tom Watson	54,000	300,000
1980	Dave Eichelberger	United States	279	−5	3 strokes	Leonard Thompson	54,000	300,000
Bay Hill Citrus Classic
1979	Bob Byman	United States	278	−6	Playoff	John Schroeder	45,000	250,000
Florida Citrus Open
1978	Mac McLendon	United States	271	−17	2 strokes	David Graham	40,000	200,000
1977	Gary Koch	United States	274	−14	2 strokes	Dale Hayes Joe Inman	40,000	200,000
1976	Hale Irwin	United States	270	−18	Playoff	Kermit Zarley	40,000	200,000
1975	Lee Trevino	United States	276	−12	1 stroke	Hale Irwin	40,000	200,000
1974	Jerry Heard (2)	United States	273	−15	3 strokes	Homero Blancas Jim Jamieson	30,000	150,000
1973	Buddy Allin	United States	265	−23	8 strokes	Charles Coody	30,000	150,000
1972	Jerry Heard	United States	276	−12	2 strokes	Bobby Mitchell	30,000	150,000
Florida Citrus Invitational
1971	Arnold Palmer	United States	270	−18	1 stroke	Julius Boros	30,000	150,000
1970	Bob Lunn	United States	271	−17	1 stroke	Arnold Palmer Bob Stanton	30,000	150,000
Florida Citrus Open Invitational
1969	Ken Still	United States	278	−10	1 stroke	Miller Barber	23,000	115,000
1968	Dan Sikes	United States	274	−14	1 stroke	Tom Weiskopf	23,000	115,000
1967	Julius Boros	United States	274	−10	1 stroke	George Knudson Arnold Palmer	23,000	115,000
1966	Lionel Hebert	United States	279	−5	2 strokes	Charles Coody Dick Lytle Jack Nicklaus	21,000	110,000

* rain-shortened to 54 holes
Note: Green highlight indicates scoring records.
Sources[8][9]

Seven men have won this tournament more than once through 2019.

• 8 wins
  • Tiger Woods: 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2013
• 2 wins
  • Jerry Heard: 1972, 1974
  • Gary Koch: 1977, 1984
  • Tom Kite: 1982, 1989
  • Loren Roberts: 1994, 1995
  • Ernie Els: 1998, 2010
  • Matt Every: 2014, 2015

• 1966: Lionel Hebert wins the inaugural version of the tournament. He wins by two shots over Jack Nicklaus, Charles Coody, and Dick Lytle.[10]
• 1968: Dan Sikes breaks out of a 5-way logjam to win by one shot over Tom Weiskopf. At the end of 54 holes, Sikes had been tied for the lead with Jack Nicklaus, Bruce Devlin, Miller Barber, and Bob Charles. Officials said this was the first time there had ever been a five-way tie for the lead after 54 holes at a PGA event.[11]
• 1971: Arnold Palmer wins the event eight years before he becomes its host. He beats Julius Boros by one shot.[12]
• 1973: Vietnam War veteran Buddy Allin shoots a tournament record 23 under par to breeze to an eight shot victory over Charles Coody.[13]
• 1974: Jerry Heard becomes the tournament's first two-time winner. He beats Homero Blancas and Jim Jamieson by two shots.[14]
• 1976: Early on a Monday morning, Hale Irwin defeats Kermit Zarley on the sixth hole of a sudden death playoff after play was suspended due to darkness on Sunday.[15] While speaking to the press on Sunday evening, Irwin blamed NBC Sports for there not being enough time to finish the playoff.[16]
• 1979: Bob Byman wins the first edition of the tournament to be played at Bay Hill. He defeats John Schroeder on the second hole of a sudden death playoff.[17]
• 1980: Dave Eichelberger wins by three shots over Leonard Thompson.[18] The temperatures were so cold that Eichelberger wore panty hose during the final round.[19]
• 1982: Tom Kite chips in for birdie on the first hole of a sudden death playoff to defeat Jack Nicklaus and Denis Watson.[20]
• 1984: Gary Koch shoots a final round 63 before defeating George Burns on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. Koch is the only champion in the tournament's history to win both at Rio Pinar and Bay Hill.[21]
• 1985: Coming off back surgery less than six months previously, Fuzzy Zoeller wins at Bay Hill. He finishes two shots ahead of Tom Watson.[22]
• 1987: Payne Stewart, who owned a home just off Bay Hill's 12th tee, notches his third career PGA Tour title. He beats David Frost by three shots.[23]
• 1989: Tom Kite wins for a second time at Bay Hill by defeating Davis Love III on the second hole of a sudden death playoff. Before the playoff took place, both Kite and Love made double bogey on the tournament's 72nd hole.[24]
• 1990: Robert Gamez holes a 7-iron on the 72nd hole for an eagle two allowing him to win by one shot over Greg Norman.[25]
• 1992: Fred Couples wins by nine shots over Gene Sauers. With his win, Couples becomes the #1 ranked player in the world.[26]
• 1995: Loren Roberts becomes the first returning champion to successfully defend his title. He beats Brad Faxon by two shots.[27]
• 1996: Paul Goydos wins for the first time on the PGA Tour. He beats Jeff Maggert by one shot and Tom Purtzer by two.[28] During the tournament's second round, Purtzer incurred a two-shot penalty by playing the wrong ball.
• 1998: During the tournament's final round, John Daly hits six balls in the water on the sixth hole. He finishes the hole with a final score of 18.[29]
• 2000: Tiger Woods wins at Bay Hill for the first time. He beats Davis Love III by four shots.[30]
• 2003: Tiger Woods becomes the first golfer since Gene Sarazen at the 1930 Miami Open to win the same tournament in four consecutive years. He wins by 11 shots over Kirk Triplett, Stewart Cink, Kenny Perry, and Brad Faxon.[31]
• 2005: Kenny Perry wins by two shots over Vijay Singh and Graeme McDowell. Perry and Singh were tied for the lead until Singh made double bogey at the 72nd hole.[32]
• 2008: Tiger Woods sinks a 25-foot birdie putt at the 72nd hole to defeat Bart Bryant by one shot.[33] It's Woods fifth Bay Hill triumph in addition to his winning the fifth consecutive tournament he had played in.
• 2009: Tiger Woods wins at Bay Hill for the 2nd straight year and sixth time overall. He birdies the 72nd hole to defeat Sean O'Hair by one shot.[34]
• 2012: Tiger Woods wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational for the seventh time, ending a winless streak on the PGA Tour dating back 27 events to September 13, 2009.[35]
• 2013: Tiger Woods wins for a record-tying eighth time at the Arnold Palmer Invitational while holing three eagles during the week, the first time a player has accomplished the feat since 2001; he ascends to the number 1 ranking for the first time since October 2010.[36]
• 2014: With world number one Woods out of the tournament, the focus was on world number two Adam Scott. Scott led the first three rounds, but struggled in the fourth round, finishing third behind Keegan Bradley and first-time PGA Tour winner Matt Every.
• 2015: Matt Every holed an 18-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole to beat Henrik Stenson by one shot and become the third golfer to defend his title at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. In the third round, Daniel Berger recorded a double eagle at the par-5 6th hole, the first since the tournament moved to Bay Hill in 1979. Zach Johnson repeated the feat in the final round on the par-5 16th.[37][38]

• Official website
• Coverage on the PGA Tour's official site
• Bay Hill Club and Lodge
• Rio Pinar Country Club