Masters Momentum: The 2018 Arnold Palmer Invitational

Recent form is a sought-after variable heading into Augusta. The Masters Momentum series looks back at recent events on the PGA Tour, including the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Named after one of the true legends of golf, the Arnold Palmer Invitational has become a yearly showcase of some of the world’s top golfers, remembering one of the best to ever play. Many competitors, including this year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational winner Rory McIlroy, honor Mr. Palmer’s memory and positive influence by teeing it up at Bay Hill each year. With the trademark Arnie’s Army umbrellas, lemonade and iced tea mixing and Palmer’s own golf cart and bag adorning the first tee, the second stop on the month-long road to The Masters is a special event for all who attend.

After his impressive second place showing the previous week at the Valspar Championship, all eyes were back on Tiger Woods. A former eight-time winner at Bay Hill, Woods’ recent form and course knowledge were sure to cause fireworks throughout the tournament’s four-day stretch. After the opening round, Woods found himself tied for seventh with a 4-under first round. Thursday’s leader Henrik Stenson carded nine total birdies culminating in an 8-under scorecard.

After missing the cut at the Valspar, Rory McIlroy answered with opening rounds of 69 and 70 to make it to the weekend at 5-under and six shots off the lead. During the second round, Woods battled back from an up and down Friday to shoot an even-par 72 to stay at 4-under. Friday undoubtedly belonged to the enigmatic Bryson DeChambeau who shot a remarkable 6-under 66 to follow up his opening round 67 to tie Stenson at the top of the leaderboard at 11-under.

With the weekend at Bay Hill looming, Stenson and DeChambeau were being hunted by contenders young and old as names like Rickie Fowler, Ernie Els, and Patrick Reed were all within six shots or less headed into Saturday.  Fan favorites including Hunter Mahan, Kevin Kisner and Shane Lowry all ended their week early missing the 1-over cut line.

After Stenson and DeChambeau stumbled slightly with rounds of 1-under and even par respectively on Saturday, the door cracked open for a Sunday showdown. Fowler was knocking on the door before a bogey-double bogey finish interrupted his run. Woods shot a 69 while Justin Rose and Jason Day fired 5-under rounds of 67 that put Rose in the penultimate pairing Sunday.

With a one-shot lead after 54 holes, Stenson was paired with DeChambaeu in Sunday’s final pairing. Rose’s Saturday 67 put him three shots behind Stenson and one behind his playing partner McIlroy. The North Ireland native shot a 67 of his own Saturday set up by an impressive eagle at the par-5 12th hole.

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Clearly the talk of the town, Woods finished Sunday with another 69 for a tournament total of 3-under and respectably tied for fifth place. With his recent success, momentum is surely on Tiger’s side heading into Augusta. The one set back for the four-time green jacket winner could be his erratic driving on the tee box.

Stenson’s 1-under round of 71 and Rose’s back-to-back 67s to close out the weekend weren’t enough to take home the title but both gained confidence before The Masters. The mathematical DeChambeau made a major run Sunday including a picture perfect eagle at the par-5 16th. Despite his late-round surge it wasn’t enough to catch the inevitable winner.

Without question, the pendulum of momentum clearly swings into the hands of McIlroy after he posted a final round 8-under 64 to take home the win. Iconic in itself, his last victory came on September 25, 2016, the day Arnold Palmer passed away. Just weeks before the 2018 Masters, and McIlroy’s latest attempt to cap off the career Grand Slam, he finds himself in the winner’s circle at Mr. Palmer’s Bay Hill event.

Next: 5 most anticipated match-ups of the 2018 Masters

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