ORLANDO, Fla. – World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler will have a tough matchup at Bay Hill, but 72 elite players are sure to challenge the 2022 and 2024 champion at this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Here are five players to watch during the tournament:
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Russell Henry
The defending champion and world No. 7 missed the cut at the Genesis Invitational but has three top-20 finishes in three other tournaments in 2026. Beshear has been at his best as of late, thanks to his precise hitting and clutch short game, especially a clutch chip-in for eagle on the par-5 16th hole in 2025. In 2024 he finished 4th, and in 2022 he finished 13th after missing three cuts and finishing outside the top 40 in the first 5 races.
Morikawa Colin
The die-hard player arguably earned his first win since the 2023 Zozo Championship last month at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. The 29-year-old finished tied for seventh in the Genesis event at Riviera Country Club. Bay Hill may feel like unfinished business for Morikawa after a frustrating second-place finish in 2025. A four-shot swing from 14-16 turned the tide and he finished second for the fourth time since Zozo’s victory.
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Tommy Fleetwood
The 35-year-old Briton won the Tour Championship, his first victory on the PGA Tour, and was greeted by peers and galleries alike. Fleetwood is in good shape after finishing T-4 at Pebble Beach and T-7 at Riviera. Fleetwood finished tied for 11th at the 2025 API race, which feels familiar to him. He had three top-10s and one top-25 in six previous trips to Bay Hill before missing the cut after shooting an 80 in the second round in 2024.
Justin Rose
The 45-year-old Briton earned his 13th victory on Tour at the Farmers Insurance Open in January. Ranking fifth in regulation greens (75.64 percent) and in the top 20 in carrying distances of 175-200 yards and 225-250 yards, Rose has the ability to attack a rough 7,466-yard layout — and history is on his side. A tie for eighth in 2025 was his sixth top-10 finish in 20 API starts, heralding a resurgence in his career after missing four cuts and winning none in his five previous starts.
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Chris Gottrup
A player with two wins in five starts this season, Gottrup will make his API debut. The 6-foot, 210-pound powerhouse is expected to turn pro in 2022, overpowering and shutting down opponents in matches. The 26-year-old is still looking for stability. He missed 22 cuts in 54 starts in 2024-25, but has made the weekend in all but one start in 2026, most recently at Genesis.