ORLANDO, Fla. – The top of the leaderboard is stacked at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but so, too, is the bottom. Several big names were sent packing.
The field of 69 players was trimmed to 58 who shot 3-over 147 or better. The API is one of three signature events — along with the Genesis Invitational and the Memorial — with a 36-hole cut this season. Low 50 players (and ties) and any additional players within 10 strokes of the 36-hole lead. With six tied at 7-under 137, that meant five players at T-53 snuck into the weekend, and 11 players in the field were sent packing. Rory McIlroy was asked what he thought about having a cut at the signature events.
“I was indifferent,” he said. “I think, when all these signature events were thought of, we were thinking no cut, but if it’s important enough, or if it’s that important to Tiger and Jack and if Arnold were alive, if it was important enough for him, then it’s their tournament, at the end of the day, and they can do whatever they want. I could have went either way, but if it’s important enough to those guys, then we’ll have a cut.”
No doubt Rickie Fowler had an idea as he played 18 that he could use one more birdie if he wanted to have a weekend tee. He stuck his approach to 7 feet and rolled in the birdie putt to play the weekend. Adam Schenk dunked his second shot at 18 and made a double bogey to miss the cut by one. Long live the 36-hole cut!
Here’s a look at the 11 players who were trunk-slamming on Friday at Arnie’s Place.
Tommy Fleetwood waits for the seventh green to clear during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. (Photo: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports)
Tommy Fleetwood made a Ten Cup — as in he went Tin Cup style, hitting three in the water at the par-5 6th and carded a quintuple-bogey 10. Stuff of nightmares. He made four more bogeys and not a single birdie on the front nine to shoot 45 going out.
He did make an eagle at 12 and two birdies in posting 80. It marked just the second time in eights starts that Fleetwood missed the cut at Bay Hill. It also marked his first missed cut this season and first weekend off since the Travelers Championship in June.
Adam Schenk of the United States hits a tee shot on the 15th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 08, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
Schenk’s weekend off may hurt the most because he made double on 18 to miss the cut by one.
Schenk hit in the water on his approach at the final hole to finish at 4-over 76. It marked the first time in four starts that he’s missed the cut at Arnie’s Place. Schenk ranked second to last in SG: Approach in the second round and ranked 57th in SG: Putting.
Matt Fitzpatrick of England reacts to a putt on the sixth hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 08, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Fitzpatrick’s record had been sterling at Arnie’s Place — top 15s the last five years, including a runner-up finish in 2019 — but it wasn’t his week this time. He shot 74-75 and made just four birdies to nine bogeys. Fitzpatrick’s stats for two rounds were poor across the board but his proximity to the hole (51’9″) ranked dead last in the second round and 66th for 36 holes. Fitzpatrick has missed three of seven cuts this season and has yet to record a top-10 finish.
Adam Scott puts on the sixth green during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Scott was playing this week on a sponsor invite but couldn’t make hay out of the opportunity. Scott hit just 12 of 28 fairways and it put too much pressure on his short game. He was just 5 of 13 in scrambling. Scott was sent packing after rounds of 73-76. It marked his first missed cut since the Genesis Scottish Open in July and his fourth missed cut in 11 career starts at Arnie’s Place.
Sami Valimaki lines up his putt on the sixth green during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Valimaki missed his second straight cut since finishing second at the Mexico Open at Vidanta. This one will be tough to swallow for Valimaki, who opened with four birdies in his first six holes on Friday to get back to even for the tournament. He was still level par after a birdie at 14, but played the final four holes in 5 over to spoil his second round. He shot 76-73 and is trunk-slamming in his tournament debut.
David Ford of the United States hits out of a fairway bunker on the sixth hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 08, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
The North Carolina Tarheel held his own on Thursday, posting 1-under 71, but Friday was a different story. He failed to make a single birdie and shot 11-under 83. He was 0 for 6 in sand saves and ranked last in SG: Around the Green. But Ford was back on the range practicing after the round and showed that he has promise when he does elect to turn pro.
Justin Rose hits his drive on the tenth tee during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
Rose looked to be in good shape to the play the weekend until he made a mess at the par-5 12th, carding an 8. It got worse from there as he came home in 42. Rose (72-77) hasn’t played the weekend at Arnie’s Place since 2019. It’s his first missed cut in six starts this season. Blame the putter: Rose ranked 68 of 69 players this week in SG: Putting.
Collin Morikawa chips onto the sixth green during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
After a solid 2-under 70 start on Thursday, Morikawa looked out of sorts in the second round, making two early doubles — at the first and fourth hole — and a water-logged bogey at 6. He made just one birdie and shot 80. It’s the second straight year he’s missed the cut at Bay Hill. Morikawa ranked second to last in the field in SG: Around the Green on Friday.
Nicolai Hojgaard of Denmark reacts after a putt on the 18th hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 08, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
Hojgaard was in the field as a sponsor exemption, and he failed to make the most of it. In mostly mild conditions on Thursday, he made two double bogeys and shot 77. His putter was the big culprit. He lost nearly four strokes to the field on the greens and ranked second-to-last in SG: Putting. He’s 0-for-2 at Bay Hill and missed his first cut of the season in five starts.
Kurt Kitayama, right, and his caddie Tim Tucker wait for a ruling after finding the hazard on the sixth hole during the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports
What a difference a year makes. Instead of being the 36-hole leader en route to his first Tour title, Kitayama will have the weekend off this year after shooting 78-73. Kitayama ranked dead last in SG: Tee to Green in the first round and second to last for 36 holes.
Adam Svensson of Canada hits a tee shot on the fifth hole during the second round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard at Arnold Palmer Bay Hill Golf Course on March 08, 2024 in Orlando, Florida. (Photo by Brennan Asplen/Getty Images)
Svensson, the Canadian, missed his third cut in his last four events and this one was big-time struggle bus. He shot 79-80 and finished dead last. Svensson carded three triple bogeys and two doubles in 36 holes. Svensson actually putted well — gaining more than 2 strokes on the greens Friday — but otherwise this is a week he will want to put in the rearview mirror.
English
French
German
Italian
Japanese
Spanish