Rory McIlroy ready for Florida showdown with Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler

The guys with all the X factor are gearing up for another showdown, as far as Rory McIlroy views it. Although the Arnold Palmer Invitational (API), in honour of The King, has its own rich heritage, the tournament’s elevation to one of the PGA Tour’s elevated tournaments in golf’s ever-changing world has brought all the big hitters out to play.

And, yet again, the potential for leapfrogging and dropping at the upper end of the world rankings means that Jon Rahm, the current custodian of the number one spot, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are the headline acts, and the Northern Irishman admitted there are traits in each of this rivals that he admires in what he described as their “relentless” performances of the past year.

“I love Scottie’s attitude, one of the best out here. I think he’s got a wonderful perspective on things. He does it his own way. He’s got his own move, it’s very individual. You could say the same thing about Rahmbo, [he’s] got his own move and individual but probably approaches the game a little differently than the way Scottie does. But both ways obviously work for them.

“The one thing about them over the past 12 to 18 months has just been their consistency. They have both been relentless. If it’s not a win, they’re contending. Very rarely have you seen these guys outside of the top 10, top 15, top 20. So, just that relentless consistency week after week, month after month, building up a really great body of work between them,” observed McIlroy.

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“The run that Rahmbo has been on has been phenomenal. Obviously what Scottie did last year. I’ve had a nice little run over the last sort of 12 months. But like everyone knows, there’s so much parity in our game right now that any given week, any given tournament someone can pop up and sort of put their hand up and claim to be one of the best players in the world. I’m just happy to be in that conversation and I just need to keep my head down and keep playing well.”

McIlroy skipped last week’s Honda Classic – as did Rahm and Scheffler – but has put together a strong sequence of play dating back to his Tour Championship to clinch the FedEx Cup last August, with wins following in the CJ Cup and the Dubai Desert Classic in his first outing of the year.

McIlroy’s two appearances so far in 2023 on the PGA Tour – tied-32nd in the Phoenix Open and tied-29th in the Genesis Invitational – are out of kilter with that previous form, but he is hoping a return to more familiar Bermuda grass greens at Bay Hill. He is also hoping a switch in drivers mid-tournament at the Genesis will reap rewards at a place where he won in 2018 and has consistently contended in each of his previous six appearances in the tournament.

Of course, the API has elevated status for this latest edition and, going forward, it looks like it will be one of the designated events that could yet have a no-cut field as the PGA Tour works out its pathway to ensure that its top players tee up against each other more frequently.

“We’ve always had no-cut events on this tour. If you think of the four WGCs, you’ve got the three playoffs events, you’ve got the CJ Cup, the Zozo. So there’s precedent there for no-cut events. The only reason no-cut events are a big deal is because LIV has come along. So there is precedent for no-cut events. There’s been no-cut events since I’ve been a member of the tour and way beyond that as well.

“So, yeah, is there maybe going to be a few more of them? Maybe. That’s still TBD, by the way. That’s not been decided yet. But if we do go down that path there’s precedent there to argue for no-cut events.”

Arnold Palmer Invitational: the lowdown

Purse: €18.75 million (€3.4 million to the winner)

Where: Orlando, Florida

The course: Known as “Arnie’s Place” for its long-time association with Arnold Palmer, Bay Hill – 7,466 yards, Par 72 – was designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee and features copious water hazards. The closing two holes typically provide for exciting finishes to a tournament with a rich history, held at the venue every year since 1979. The par-three 17th measures 221 yards from an elevated tee to a green which has water lurking on three sides and a large bunker; the par-four 18th is a 458-yards hole that features a slightly blind tee shot to the fairway and an approach to a long, narrow green that again has water in play down the right.

The field: Quite literally a loaded field, the tournament’s designated elevated status on the PGA Tour bringing all of the high rollers, headed by world number one Jon Rahm, although number two Scottie Scheffler or number three Rory McIlroy could – with a win – leapfrog into the top spot. No fewer than 44 from the world’s top 50 are playing while Major champions Pádraig Harrington, Stewart Cink and Zach Johnson are among those playing on sponsors’ invitations.

Quote-unquote: “Last year I had a horrible, horrible week on the greens with four three-putts alone on the back nine on Sunday. I’m very encouraged knowing that if I could have my ball-striking at the level that I know I can and have a decent week on the greens, I will have a chance.” – Jon Rahm, who finished tied-17th last year in a tournament won by Scottie Scheffler.

Irish in the field: Séamus Power is in a group with Sungjae Im and Cameron Young (off the 10th at 1.11pm Irish time); Pádraig Harrington is grouped with Danny Willett and Ben Taylor (off the first at 5.06pm Irish time); Shane Lowry is in a three-ball with Garrick Higgo and Joel Dahmen (off the 10th at 5.45pm Irish time); Rory McIlroy is grouped with Tyrrell Hatton and Max Homa (off the first at 5.50pm Irish time).

Betting: Jon Rahm’s hot form this season – three wins in five appearances on the PGA Tour – has the world number one installed as 6-1 market leader but he is a novice at the venue (tied-17th last year on his first appearance) and Rory McIlroy, winner in 2018 in a run of five top-10s in six appearances, would make him better value at 9-1. Jason Day is showing signs of his old self and is available at 25-1, while last week’s Honda Classic winner Chris Kirk is decent each-way at 50s.

On TV: On Sky Sports Golf (from midday) and Sky Sports Main Event (from 4pm).