………Fatiha Betscher, Orlando, FL.
Golf’s new generation of stars in World No. 1 Rory McIlroy, Rickie Fowler and Jason Day feature in the star three-ball for the opening two rounds of this week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill.
McIlroy is making his first appearance in the $6.3m event and carrying a first prize of $1.134m.
This group features three of the game’s top players in their 20s.
McIlroy turns 26 in May while Day, who is 27, is No. 5 in the world and the 26-year-old Fowler clocks in at No. 11 on the World Rankings.
McIlroy captured a second Dubai Desert Classic title earlier this year while Day won the Farmers Insurance Open and Fowler’s best finish of 2015 is a tie for 12th in his last start at the World Golf Championships-Cadillac Championship.
Tee times: Rd. 1 — 12:56 p.m. ET off No. 1; Rd. 2 — 8:11 a.m. ET off No. 10
Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler to play the opening two rounds together in the Arnold Palmer Invitational (Photo – www.pgatour.com)
Graeme McDowell, Sean O’Hair, Ian Poulter: It’s a home game for McDowell and Poulter, who both live in the Orlando area. O’Hair has a comfort zone in Florida, too, though, after advancing to a playoff on Sunday at the Valspar Championship, a tournament he won in 2009. McDowell has two runner-up finishes at Bay Hill and tied for 10th last year. Poulter’s best finish there is third in 2012 while O’Hair has three top-10s, including a tie for third in 2008 and second in 2009.
Tee times: Rd. 1 — 1:08 p.m. ET off No. 1; Rd. 2 — 8:23 a.m. ET off No. 10
Bubba Watson, Brooks Koepka, Adam Scott: Watson, a two-time Masters champ, is ranked No. 2 in the FedExCup and in the world. He won the World Golf Championships-HSBC Championship and has not finished lower than 14th in five starts this season. Scott, a new daddy who spent 11 weeks atop the world rankings, now clocks in at No. 4 and has two top-10s in three starts this season. The 24-year-old Koepka has been solid this season, posting a pair of top-10s in the fall and winning the Waste Management Phoenix Open earlier this year.
Tee times: Rd. 1 — 8:11 a.m. off No. 10; Rd. 2 — 12:56 p.m. ET off No. 1.
Henrik Stenson, Billy Horschel, Brandt Snedeker: This group features the last three FedExCup champions. Snedeker, who currently ranks 10th, is the only one of the group who has won this season after capturing the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am for the second time. Stenson picked up some valuable FedExCup points with ties for fourth in his last two starts. Horschel, the reigning FedExCup champ, will be looking to gain some momentum at Bay Hill.
Tee times: Rd. 1 — 8:23 a.m. off No. 10; Rd. 2 — 1:08 p.m. ET off No. 1
