Jason Day, Christiaan Bezuidenhout among sleeper picks for the 2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill
It’s time to tee it up at the King’s place. This week the PGA Tour is in Orlando, Florida, for the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau is not in the field as he was forced to withdraw due to an injury.
The No. 1 ranked player in the world, Jon Rahm, will be making his tournament debut this week and is the betting favorite at +750.
The top of the betting odds list features some of the biggest names in the game including past champion Rory McIlroy, Viktor Hovland, and recent first-time winner Scottie Scheffler. However, there’s a bunch of value further down the list, starting with another past champion of this event.
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds a full list. Full betting card will be on my Twitter sometime Wednesday, March 2nd.
Sleeper picks for Arnold Palmer Invitational
Jason Day (+6000)
Day won this event in 2016 and has finished T-31 or better three times since. He played well throughout the first three rounds of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am before struggling on Sunday and finishing T-24. The Aussie played well the week before at Torrey Pines, earning a place in the final group and eventually signing for T-3.
Jason Day reacts after a hole-out eagle on the 14th hole during the final round of the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament at Torrey Pines Municipal Golf Course – South Course. (Photo: Orlando Ramirez-USA TODAY Sports)
Christiaan Bezuidenhout (+6000)
In his last three starts, Bezuidenhout has finished T-14 at the AT&T Pebble Beach, missed the cut at the Genesis Invitational, and grabbed a T-25 at the Honda Classic last week. He’s had success at Bay Hill in his two appearances: T-18 (2020), and 7th (2021).
Christiaan Bezuidenhout lines his putt on the fifteenth green during the second round of the PGA Championship golf tournament. (Photo: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)
Chris Kirk (+7000)
Kirk has found some form of late after missing the cut in two of his first three starts of 2022. He tied for 14th at the WM Phoenix Open and seventh at PGA National last week. He finished T-8 at the API last season, skipped the event in 2020, signed for T-15 in 2019, and came in solo 13th in 2018.
Chris Kirk plays his shot from the first tee during the third round of The Honda Classic golf tournament. (Photo: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports)
Keith Mitchell (+4000)
+4000 doesn’t scream sleeper, but not sure many people are looking Mitchell’s direction this week. He’s on a tear to start 2022. In five events, outside of a missed cut at the Farmers Insurance Open, Mitchell has finished T-12 or better in each of them (three of which are Top 10s). He struggled last season at Bay Hill (T-43) but finished T-5 in 2020 and T-6 in 2019.
Keith Mitchell hits on the 18th fairway during the first round of the CJ Cup golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
Jason Kokrak (+5000)
The big man has performed well at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in recent years finishing T-8 (2021), T-18 (2020), and T-10 (2019) in his last three appearances. He’s played in just two full-field events so far in 2022, but he’s made both weekends and finished T-17 (Sony Open) and T-26 (Genesis Invitational).
Jason Kokrak of the United States reacts on the 16th green during the Pro-Am Tournament prior to the Sony Open at Waialae Country Club on January 13, 2021 in Honolulu, Hawaii. (Photo by Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images)
