Mar. 23, 2011
The first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by MasterCard is set to begin. The Golf Channel will televise live action beginning at 3 p.m. ET.
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| Groups we're watching: |
| Tee time |
Players |
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8:26 a.m. ET
No. 10 |
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Bill Haas, Hunter Mahan, Phil Mickelson
Lefty represents The Establishment this week. Haas and Mahan are currently ahead of him in the FedExCup standings.
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8:38 a.m. ET
No. 10 |
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Bubba Watson, Jim Furyk, Graeme McDowell
The Featured Group's representative this week, G-Mac will be grouped with two of his 2010 Ryder Cup opponents.
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12:56 p.m. ET
No. 1 |
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Gary Woodland, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods
Tiger may be the shortest hitter in this Featured Group, but he certainly has the best track record at Bay Hill. |
1:08 p.m. ET
No. 1 |
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Jhonattan Vegas, Ernie Els, Ian Poulter
A rookie sensation, defending champ and local resident with a big personality. Think this group will draw a crowd?
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1:19 p.m. ET
No. 10 |
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Camilo Villegas, Bo Van Pelt, Sergio Garcia
Sergio Garcia's return to the PGA TOUR last week went well. Will things continue at Bay Hill?
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STORYLINES FOR THURSDAY:
• Time is winding down for you to get your picks in for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
• Tournament host and namesake Arnold Palmer believes in Tiger's chances to win this week..
• The 2011 season has been a year of unexpected winners. Will the trend continue at Bay Hill?
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| Round 1 weather forecast |
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Mostly sunny
Temp: 79 high/58 low
Mostly sunny with winds around 5-10 mph. |
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| ShotLink player notes |
| Here are some of the players you'll see on the Golf Channel's coverage of Thursday's first round |
| TIGER WOODS |
| Six-time Arnold Palmer Invitational champion Tiger Woods will be making his 15th appearance at Bay Hill this week. Tigers victories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational came in 20002003, and 20082009. Woods is a combined 81-under-par in his 54 career rounds at Bay Hill (2nd lowest all-time to Vijay Singh -- 89 under). Tigers career scoring average of 70.06 at the API is lowest among players with 12 or more rounds (since 1983). |
| DUSTIN JOHNSON |
| Currently 14th in the FedExCup standings, Dustin Johnson has three Top-10 finishes in his first seven starts of the 2011 season including a runner-up in his last start at the WGC-Cadillac Championship. Last year at this point (entering week No. 12), Johnson was 4th in the FedExCup standings. Johnson is just one of four players currently inside the Top 15 of the FedExCup standings who was also inside the Top 15 at this point last year. |
| ERNIE ELS |
| Ernie Els picked up right where he left off at TPC Blue Monster when he won the 2010 Arnold Palmer Invitational (consecutive wins on the PGA TOUR for the first time since 2003). Els was again solid from tee to green ranking 4th in both total driving and ball striking for the week. Combining both accuracy and distance off the tee Els averaged 291 yards (17th) hitting 70percent of the fairways (T7) for the week.He ranked T-9th in the field for greens in regulation finding 69 percent of the greens at Bay Hill compared to the field average of 61 percent. Ernie Els made 23 birdies (second most in the field and the same number of birdies he made when he won the 2010 WGC-CA). |
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