Arnold Palmer Invitational Golf Tournament

The full name of the tournament is Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, a name the tournament assumed beginning in 2007. For a dozen or so years prior to that, it was known as the Bay Hill Invitational after its host course, which Palmer owns. Arnold Palmer has long been the host of this tournament, and his relationship with Bay Hill goes back decades.

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is a 72-hole stroke play tournament that typically falls on the PGA Tour schedule in mid-March.

2020 Tournament

• When: March 5-8, 2020
• Where: Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida

2019 Palmer Invitational

Francesco Molinari fired a final-round 64, moving up 16 positions to claim the victory. Molinari finished at 12-under 276, two strokes better than runner-up Matthew Fitzpatrick. It was his third career victory on the PGA Tour.

2018 Tournament
Rory McIlroy closed with a score of 64 to win this tournament for the first time and win on the PGA Tour for the first time since the 2016 Tour Championship. It was McIlroy's 14th career PGA Tour victory. McIlroy finished at 18-under 270. The runner-up, Bryson DeChambeau, finished three strokes back.

Official Web site
PGA Tour tournament site

Tournament Records at the Arnold Palmer Invitational

• Scoring, 72 holes: 264 - Payne Stewart, 1987
• Scoring, 18 holes: 62 - Andy Bean, 1981; Greg Norman, 1984; Adam Scott, 2014
• Wins: 8 - Tiger Woods

Arnold Palmer Invitational Golf Courses

The Arnold Palmer Invitational has been played at Bay Hill Club & Lodge golf course every year since 1979. Prior to that, the tournament - known as the Florida Citrus Open Invitational at that point - was played at Orlando's Rio Pinar Country Club.

Arnold Palmer Invitational Trivia and Notes

• The tournament was renamed the Arnold Palmer Invitational beginning with its 2007 playing. Palmer is only the second golfer to have a PGA Tour event named for him; Byron Nelson was the first.
• Arnold Palmer began visiting the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in 1965, and it became his winter home. Palmer became owner of the club in 1975, and in 1979 convinced the PGA Tour to move its Orlando event to Bay Hill.
• Palmer was 41 years old when he won this tournament in 1971. It was among his last half-dozen or so wins on the PGA Tour.
• The tournament was first played in 1966, and Lionel Hebert was the winner. Jack Nicklaus finished second that year. Nicklaus was also runner-up in 1982, when he lost a playoff to Tom Kite. Nicklaus never won this tournament.
• Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational four straight years, 2000-03. Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen are the only other golfers to win any PGA Tour event four consecutive years.
• Aside from Woods, the only other golfers to win this tournament back-to-back are Loren Roberts (1994-95) and Matt Every (2014-15).
• The other 2-time winners of the tourney are Jerry Heard (1972, 1974), Gary Koch (1977, 1984) and Ernie Els (1998, 2010).
• Tiger Woods also won in 2008-09 and 2012-13, for eight victories total in this tournament. That ties Sam Snead for most wins in the same tournament (Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times). (Related: See Tiger Woods' wins at Bay Hill)

Winners of the PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational

(Changes in the tournament's name are noted; p-playoff; w-weather shortened)

Arnold Palmer Invitational
2019 - Francesco Molinari, 276
2018 - Rory McIlroy, 270
2017 - Marc Leishman, 277
2016 - Jason Day, 271
2015 - Matt Every, 269
2014 - Matt Every, 275
2013 - Tiger Woods, 275
2012 - Tiger Woods, 275
2011 - Martin Laird, 280
2010 - Ernie Els, 277
2009 - Tiger Woods, 275
2008 - Tiger Woods, 270
2007 - Vijay Singh, 272

Bay Hill Invitational
2006 - Rod Pampling, 274
2005 - Kenny Perry, 276
2004 - Chad Campbell, 270
2003 - Tiger Woods, 269
2002 - Tiger Woods, 275
2001 - Tiger Woods, 273
2000 - Tiger Woods, 270
1999 - Tim Herron-p, 274
1998 - Ernie Els, 274
1997 - Phil Mickelson, 272
1996 - Paul Goydos, 275

The Nestle Invitational
1995 - Loren Roberts, 272
1994 - Loren Roberts, 275
1993 - Ben Crenshaw, 280
1992 - Fred Couples, 269
1991 - Andrew Magee-w, 203
1990 - Robert Gamez, 274
1989 - Tom Kite-p, 278

Hertz Bay Hill Classic
1988 - Paul Azinger, 271
1987 - Payne Stewart, 264
1986 - Dan Forsman-w, 202
1985 - Fuzzy Zoeller, 275

Bay Hill Classic
1984 - Gary Koch-p, 272
1983 - Mike Nicolette-p, 283
1982 - Tom Kite-p, 278
1981 - Andy Bean, 266
1980 - Dave Eichelberger, 279

Bay Hill Citrus Classic
1979 - Bob Byman-p, 278

Florida Citrus Open Invitational
1978 - Mac McLendon, 271
1977 - Gary Koch, 274
1976 - Hale Irwin-p, 270
1975 - Lee Trevino, 276
1974 - Jerry Heard, 273
1973 - Bud Allin, 265
1972 - Jerry Heard, 276
1971 - Arnold Palmer, 270
1970 - Bob Lunn, 271
1969 - Ken Still, 278
1968 - Dan Sikes, 274
1967 - Julius Boros, 274
1966 - Lionel Hebert, 279