2015 Arnold Palmer Invitational Preview: Leaderboard
BUBBA WATSON was a late withdrawal but the rest of the world’s top five ranked golfers line up for the 2015 Arnold Palmer Invitational this week and that includes Aussies Adam Scott and Jason Day.
World No.1 Rory McIlroy leads the troupe and despite a hiccup in missing the cut at the Honda Classic recently will no doubt be looking to hone his game three weeks out from the Masters.
McIlroy is playing Palmer’s event for the first time and it will also be his final competitive outing before attempting a career Grand Slam at the Masters in April.
“It’s important to play well here, to get into contention and just feel what it’s like, final event going into Augusta, just feeling something on the last day and the back nine in contention, having a chance to win all that stuff,” McIlroy said. “I don’t think there’s any better way to prepare for a tournament (than) to get into contention.”
Adam Scott also surprisingly missed a cut last week in just his second outing for the year. It was also just the second outing for his new short putter which wasn’t behaving near as well as on its debut. It remains to be seen how the Aussie will deal with the changeover.
Meanwhile Jason Day has also added to the uncertainty by changing all his irons and wedges – a move usually reserved for the off season.
Day is sticking with sponsor TaylorMade of course but has changed all his clubheads and gone for stiffer shafts. He says he’s gained seven yards on his already prestigious length.
“I just felt like I was hitting my old clubs a little too high, getting too much spin on them and wasn’t hitting them as far as I should be,” Day said.
“You don’t typically change now, usually in the offseason, but my mindset behind the changes was to sacrifice a bit of ball flight and get more distance.
“Funnily it didn’t bring down the flight much but I am hitting it further, and that’s a good combination to have not only this week but going to Augusta.
“You need some height and length around there to attack certain pins and get an edge.”
The 27 year old Day will play the first two rounds with a couple of dynamic up and coming youngsters in 25 year old McIlroy and 26 year old Rickie Fowler.
Scott will play with play with recent winner Brooks Koepka and Kevin Kisner, who replaced Bubba Watson when he withdrew due to the death of a friend.
The other Aussies in the field are Matt Jones, John Senden, Marc Leishman, Rod Pampling and Steve Bowditch.
The defending champion at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida, is America’s Matt Every, who surprised last year by overcoming the three shot lead held by the third round leader – Adam Scott.
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Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard
Arnold Palmer Invitational Leaderboard