Scottie Scheffler Favored at Arnold Palmer Invitational 2026

Expert Brady Kannon fades Si Woo Kim, reveals top outright pick at Bay Hill

Mar. 3, 2026 at 9:37pm

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The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida is set to tee off with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler as the favorite at +350 odds. Other top contenders include Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele, and past champion Russell Henley. Golf betting expert Brady Kannon is completely fading Si Woo Kim, who has struggled at this course in the past, and has revealed a surprising top outright pick going off at higher than 35-1 odds.

Why it matters

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is one of the PGA Tour's signature events, featuring a $20 million purse and a stacked field of top players. Scottie Scheffler's performance will be closely watched as he looks to add to his 20 career PGA Tour wins and solidify his status as the world's top-ranked player. Kannon's betting insights and fade of Si Woo Kim could prove valuable for golf bettors looking to gain an edge.

The details

The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational will be played on the par-72, 7,466-yard Bay Hill Club & Lodge course in Orlando. Scottie Scheffler enters as the favorite at +350 odds after winning the American Express Desert Classic earlier this year. Other top contenders include Rory McIlroy (+1000), Tommy Fleetwood (+2000), Xander Schauffele (+2200), and past champion Russell Henley (+3500). Kannon is completely fading Si Woo Kim, who has struggled at this course in the past, citing Kim's recent lackluster performances at other signature events.

  • The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational gets underway at 7:40 a.m. ET on Thursday, March 6, 2026.

The players

Scottie Scheffler

The world's top-ranked player, Scheffler has 20 career PGA Tour wins and is the favorite at +350 odds.

Rory McIlroy

A four-time major champion, McIlroy is among the top contenders at +1000 odds.

Russell Henley

The defending tournament champion, Henley won the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational by one stroke over Collin Morikawa.

Si Woo Kim

Kim has struggled at Bay Hill in the past, missing the cut three times and never finishing better than 19th, leading expert Brady Kannon to completely fade him in this event.

Brady Kannon

An elite golf betting handicapper with over 30 years of experience, Kannon has revealed his top outright pick and fade for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational.

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What they’re saying

“Kim began the 2026 season scorching hot but has since cooled a bit in his last two starts, both Signature Events, finishing 45th at Pebble Beach and 34th at Riviera. He was third earlier this year in Phoenix but historically, has not been exceptional at a course that seems to show correlated success to Bay Hill. Here in Orlando, Kim has missed the cut three times and hasn't ever finished better than 19th. I'm just not sure this course is the best fit for his game. I will be staying away for now and will try to find an attractive matchup to possibly go against him.”

— Brady Kannon, Golf Betting Expert

What’s next

Kannon has revealed his best bets for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, including a surprising top outright pick going off at higher than 35-1 odds. Golf bettors can check out Kannon's full predictions and analysis at SportsLine.

The takeaway

The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational features a star-studded field led by world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, but expert Brady Kannon is completely fading Si Woo Kim due to his poor history at Bay Hill. Kannon's betting insights could prove invaluable for golf bettors looking to gain an edge in this prestigious PGA Tour event.