World No. 1 Scheffler Struggles at Arnold Palmer Invitational

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World No. 1 golfer Scottie Scheffler shot a 2-under 70 in the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, leaving him 7 shots off the lead. Scheffler, who has dominated professional golf over the last couple of years, recently changed his driver to a new TaylorMade Qi4D model, which he says has provided more consistent spin numbers and accuracy off the tee. Despite the driver change, Scheffler expressed some frustration with a few mistakes in his round, though he acknowledged that anything under par at Bay Hill is a decent score.

Why it matters

Scheffler's struggles at the Arnold Palmer Invitational are notable given his recent dominance on the PGA Tour, including a win at the American Express in January and a streak of 18 consecutive top-10 finishes that was snapped at his last outing. The driver change also highlights Scheffler's constant pursuit of improvement, even as the world's top-ranked player.

The details

Scheffler shot a 2-under 70 in the first round, leaving him 7 shots behind leader Daniel Berger, who fired a 9-under 63. Despite the solid score, Scheffler expressed some frustration with a few mistakes, though he acknowledged that anything under par at the challenging Bay Hill course is a decent result. Scheffler recently switched to a new TaylorMade Qi4D driver, which he says has provided more consistent spin numbers and improved accuracy off the tee compared to the Qi10 model he had been using for the last couple of years.

• Scheffler began his 2026 season with a win at the American Express in January.
• In his last outing, Scheffler's streak of 18 consecutive top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour was snapped at the Genesis Invitational.

What they’re saying

What’s next

Scheffler will look to make up ground over the next three rounds as he tries to claim his first Arnold Palmer Invitational title.