I am in Florida for some spring training, near the PGA Headquarters in Pt. St. Lucie and Jupiter, while the PGA boys are having at it just south in Orlando for the second straight week.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational comes to the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, offering yet another opportunity for the big hitters to come out of the woodwork. That is because Bay Hill logs in at 7,301 yards with a par of 72.
Bay Hill offers the requisite four par threes — the shortest logging at 199 yards — with four fives ranging from 511 to 575 yards. Of course, accuracy is critical as the short one, hole 16, offers the fourth toughest hole on the course.
The remaining fours all register at over 400 yards, save holes five (390) and 13 (370), again suggesting the big hitters will have the initial advantage.
Here is where I am going, and don’t forget you can join a foursome playing the DraftKings Weekly Hybrid PGA.
Alexander Noren ($9200): Noren has simply had a fantastic season thus far, jumping the ranks, making 10 of 10 cuts, with a pair of top 10 finishes. Noren is averaging 77.1 points per tourney. The Swede ranks #33, averaging 303.9 yards per drive.
Adam Scott ($9200): Scott has finished #35 or above his past three Palmer invites, and though his game is a little more erratic (five of seven cuts, no top 10s, 54.4 points per week average) he does rank #25, averaging 307.4 yards off the box. And, solid performances the past two weeks, at the Honda and Valspar, suggests the Aussie is in a groove.
Bubba Watson ($8600): Goodness, what is not to like about the resurgent Watson? Nothing. Watson, who has six cuts and a pair of top 10s in his 2018 resume, is averaging 75.2 points per week and is #4 overall in distance from the tee at 317.4 yards.
Marc Leishman ($8400): Going with last year’s winner, Leishman has had a solid season, making the grade eight of nine times, averaging 300.9 per drive (59th) along with 77.4 points per week. Our second rep from down under this week has four top 10 finishes and makes a great moderately priced selection.
Luke List ($8100): List tied for the 16th slot at the Valspar last week, and has been pretty steady with nine cuts out of 12 tries. He is averaging 66.9 points per week, but I really like his #3 ranking belting the ball 318.5 yards with his drives.
Ryan Armour ($6800): Armour is this week’s value pick. He is down on distance, with 288.2 yards gained out of the box, but he has been quietly steady with nine of 13 cuts made, and one top 10. And, when I have picked Armour, he has indeed come through, so let’s hope he can hang for another week.
