Arnold Palmer Inv

I know Ponce has recently changed putters, but given he was seven clear after two rounds last year, the $23 is enticing.

Ian Poulter is riding some form and finished third here a while back (2012?). 55's is good enough for me (with the idea of trading - Poults doesn't win).

Finally I like Hunter Mahan. Is well out of form and that explains the 100+, but his record here is impressive. If he can't get in the mix here then it could be a long season for Hunter.

Streelman 150
Steele 100
Grace 125
Na 50

also done small bets all first round leaders

bubba out due death of a childhood friend, kisner in

Go home to your son Poulter.

Snedeker's approach on 18 will be worthy of a few replays in the coverage later.

added m.hoffman huge price, but can put up good numbers on his day and birdie early hoping nice easy trade later.

added small free bet on laird 40/1

Pretty impressive group at -4. Day playing well, Rory playing well... Looks like another tough week for the rags.

THE FLORIDA SWING wraps up this week with its annual stop at ‘Arnie’s Place’ in Bay Hill.


The Top 5 Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR) players are entered.
#1 Rory McIlroy make his debut at the AP Invitational along with Bubba Watson (withdrew for funeral), Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott and Jason Day
but is notably without eight-time champion Eldrick.

$1,116,000 to the winner + beginning with this year's tournament, the PGA is awarding the winners at Bay Hill (and the Memorial Tournament) with a three-year exemption of status.
That's one year longer than the customary perk. Winners will also be exempt into THE PLAYERS for three years.



A par 72 of over 7,400yds with Bermudagrass/Poa trivialis greens that have not taken to winter weather conditions (been replaced with Tifeagle Bermudagrass for next year) with new G-Angle sand in all 84 bunkers.
Chris Flynn, the new green-keeper has also increased landing area in the fairways that line up with the original course design and increased approach areas and bailout sections around the greens.
They’ve also manicured the trees to improve sight/shot lines from off the fairway as the course features some tricky doglegs that require precision off the tee.

Only six players posted all four rounds at par-or-better here in Orlando in 20.14 so it ain’t easy.
Matt Every came from four shots off the lead to beat Keegan Bradley by a shot last year.

The last 3 holes on Sunday will decide the winner - the 16th is an eagle/birdie opportunity even with a back left pin - 17th a long par three all over water and 18th with the pin back right is ‘never’ an easy par 4 (unless your name is Robert Gamez).




"It's not how big it is, it's what you do with it..."
"It's not the size of the boat, it's the motion of the ocean..."
"It's not how deep you fish, it's how you wiggle your worm..."

....In other words ‘Length matters’ at Bay Hill !


My fancies include...


Speaking of ‘length’, then look no further than BROOKS KOEPKA 34/1 (18 OWGR) as he’s as long as they come.
Brooks is known for his monster drives, ranks second on Tour in driving distance, at 313.3 yards.
He’s also 28th in strokes gained tee-to-green and has three top 10s in six starts this season including a WIN at the Phoenix Open.
Toss in being 18th in SGP and that’s a deadly combination on any track.
He’s played 12 TOUR weekends in a row dating back to last year and even found time to win in Europe late last season - Turkish Airlines Open by one shot from Poulter.
His last MC over there was in early July. A former teammate of Daniel Berger (72 OWGR) at Florida State, this is a home game for the West Palm native.
He’s 50’s for his debut at the Masters by the way with MC, MC, T70,T4, T67 & T15 in six ‘Major’ appearances.
Koepka five-putted a green on Torrey Pines' Poa annua and was “pumped to get back to Bermuda grass”, his native turf, with a T51 at the Honda and T17 at Trump’s WGC event.
Playing in that wet and windy afternoon with Rory might have been a negative but it was Rory who had the 'boot slammer'.



Graeme McDowell hasn’t played enough or well enough lately but there’s no question that the Orlando resident has a fondness for Bay Hill that might jump start his 2015.
He was solo second in 2012 and T10 last year and has shown good early form (T-9 in Dubai).
While Laird is the only Euro to claim the title here and GMAC may prefer tougher golf courses that require players to drive it well and be tough mentally, he fits the bill for me come Sunday evening’s final three holes.


Shane Lowry as mentioned already on the Irish Forum may be my 'Orish Winner' this week.
Good recent form in the US and been living in Orlando since the turn of the year.
I note Rookies don’t fare well here as only two have hit the top 26 in the last two years (Koepka T26 last year).


Also mentioned George McNeill as my BIG BET.
A grad from Florida State University and native Floridian he has developed the reputation of being a specialist on the Florida swing.
Back after a rest after a good week at the Honda !


https://arnoldpalmerinvitational.com/index.html



OTHERS in my Matthew 8:8 category this week.....


Henrik Stenson, the world’s #3 enters this week with eight consecutive rounds at par-or-better and hasn’t finished worse than T4 in his last two.
His last three finishes here of T15, T8 and T5 last year and in those 12 rounds, two have been over par and five have been in the 60s.
The Orlando resident was second at Isleworth behind Spieth but still posted 16-under so will be there OR thereabouts come Sunday.


#1 Rory McIlroy is having dinner with God, yes Arnie tonight which should be an awesome, inspiring and wonderful evening for him. The rest of us are in that Matthew 8:8 bracket. He’s never played Bay Hill in tournament competition and doesn’t have that yardage book mapped perfectly just yet but he’s a fast learner judging by his two-under round today which included a 14-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 18th hole.
Still a slow start in my book as we have 72 players at -1 or better so the 15/2 is not yet tempting. This event was surely not on wee Rory's 'bucket list' written on the back of that flight boarding card earlier this year. 


Kevin Na has two top-four finishes (T4, T2) and 10 rounds of 16 under par in Bay Hill. His other two finishes are T14 and T30 and a T10 last week so is on form.


Jason Kokrak (147 OWGR) posted his first top 10 of the year last week so he’s not exactly on fire BUT three rounds under par on that course last weekend was no joke. He was 11-under and just four back on Sunday here last year and he’s got the ‘length’ required and can hole putts. It's all about how you wiggle the worm so only wish I had posted this yesterday as it may have snookered some early bets. TOUR events aren't won on Thursdays and therefore note Kokrak’s 73 on Sunday last year. Touchy point it seems, just not for me but still a wonderful start. 


Martin Laird returned last week after taking almost a month off after his excellent West Coast swing to start the year.
He played the first and last rounds last week bogey-free (one double on Thursday) and only made six bogeys on the week. It was the three doubles that killed his chances for another top finish.
The 2011 champ led the field last week in GIR and was T13 in fairways. Already 4 under so will have his 'faithful followers'.


J.B. Holmes last time out at Doral he lit up Trump’s front garden with eight birdies, an eagle and no bogeys for a magic 62. As ‘length’ is the angle of the dangle this week, yeshesgotit. The only thing that has kept JB from winning more is these tournaments are 72 holes, not 54, 36 or 18. Maybe Callitasucit will politely whisper in his ear that these events are not won on Thursdays ! Hah, fat fookin chance of that happening' ! I hear you say.
His final round scoring average is ALL (65/66) or NOTHING (74-76-73-72-76-75) this season. He led the field in putting average here last year as he finished T10 so we live in hope he hears that gentle message.


Justin Thomas hasn’t seen any of these courses and he’s posting T10’s for fun. He’s 10th in the all-around and 16th in scoring and that’s with 12 events under his belt and even better four T10s and two T25’s. As mentioned Rookies don’t usually fare well around Bay Hill but he’s cut from a different cloth and another T10 is surely on the cards after an eagle, 4 birdies and 3 bogey start today. BOY WONDER to watch.

© CM iyc

Hoffy running away with this

like the write up catch me - cheers.

Danny Lee must be frustrated trying to catch up with hoffy

McIlroy has just made four birdies in a row. Five behind Hoffman now.

That chat with 'God' last night seems to have worked

Great to watch Rory without Roe eulogising all the time

Bogey

my books a lovely colour, obv hoff winning me a boatload but ousty up there aswell then willet -2 thru 2 going to storm upto the -8 mark tonight.
go'on willet please - either way weekend looking good :)

sky just spent 5 minutes showing some cnunt riding a jetski - on a golf programme!!

I hate jetskis and the cnunts who ride them with a passion

noisy ****s