Five who would benefit most from winning Palmer's trophy
By Stan Awtrey, PGATOUR.COM Correspondent
The trophy they give to the winner at Bay Hill these days is something that belongs on the mantel of anyone who claims to be a great player. It's not the trophy from the Arnold Palmer Invitational itself that is so grand, although it is certainly nice. It's the figurine on top of the trophy that sets it apart. For there, completing that famous contortionist swing, is the silver image of Arnold Palmer.
Few players, if they were being honest, would deny their desire to own that piece of hardware. So, in addition to the $1.044 million that goes to the winner of this week's Arnold Palmer Invitational, there's that trophy just waiting to be handed off in the ceremony on the 18th green. And to accept it from The King himself, along with a handshake and slap on the back, is a feeling that must be hard to fully comprehend.
"To win at Bay Hill was always one of my goals," Vijay Singh said after his victory in 2007.
The tournament has only officially borne his name since 2007, but it's been Arnold's tournament since it moved to Bay Hill in 1979. As improvements have been made on the course and as the field has continued to grow in prestige, the desire by the biggest players in the game to have their names engraved on that trophy has continued to increase.
"To win Arnold's tournament, that makes it so much more special," Rod Pampling said after his victory in 2006. "Being Arnold's tournament, besides the majors, it doesn't get much better than that."
Many of the sport's biggest names have won at Bay Hill. Tiger Woods isn't playing this year, so he won't be involved with any 72nd-hole drama this time around. Bart Bryant (2008) and Sean O'Hair (2009) were victimized when Woods made victory-clinching putts on the final hole the last two years. Woods has won six times at Bay Hill.
Phil Mickelson has won here, as has Ernie Els, Kenny Perry and Vijay Singh. Going back a bit further in time reveals a list of prestigious champions like Fuzzy Zoeller, Payne Stewart, Paul Azinger, Tom Kite, Fred Couples and Ben Crenshaw. Nary a hiccup in that lineup.
When you look at the current crop of stars, who are the guys left that need to win the trophy with Arnold Palmer on top of it? For whose game would it serve as a dash of panache? Here are five guys in this year's field who would benefit the most from a win at Bay Hill:
Jim Furyk He claimed his 14th TOUR victory last week in Tampa, so he comes into Bay Hill with a hot hand. Furyk has some big notches in his belt; aside from his U.S. Open in 2003, he's won the Wachovia Championship at Quail Hollow and the Memorial Tournament, two of the other prestigious non-majors.
Davis Love III Did you know Davis Love III has won $1 million more times than anyone in the history of the PGA TOUR? Love has done it 16 times; Singh and Mickelson both have 14. But Love doesn't have a trophy from Bay Hill. He's been the runner-up three times and lost to Kite in a playoff in 1989.
David Toms The only thing he'd rather have more than an Arnold Palmer trophy is to have LSU dethrone Alabama as the football champion of the Southeastern Conference. Oh well, it is realistic to believe Toms could win at Bay Hill. Toms hasn't played here that, with his best finish this decade a T18 in 2000.
Stewart Cink Other than the WGC-Accenture Match Play Championship, this hasn't been a great season for the reigning British Open champion. He's played eight of the last ten years at By Hill with mixed results; he's fared no better than a tie for 30th since 2006, but had three top-10s from 2000-2005, including a runner-up finish in 2003 (albeit 11 shots behind Woods).
Camilo Villegas The charismatic youngster hasn't had much success at Bay Hill. In three appearances his best showing was a T44 in 2008. But he's become a completely different player since then and this season already has a victory, and three top 10s in four starts. He's yet to be out of the Top 25.
"It's definitely something you'd like to do, winning those events attached to special people like Arnold or Jack or Byron," Love said. "Every time I go to Bay Hill, just to hang around Arnold for a few minutes is pretty special. That in itself is worth it. But I'd love to win Arnold's tournament. That's a good one to have on your record at the end of the day."
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