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PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational

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PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is hosted by Mr. Palmer, who also owns the Bay Hill Club & Lodge where the tournament is played.

Photo courtesy of the World Golf Hall of Fame; used with permission

About the Arnold Palmer Invitational:

The full name of the tournament is Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by MasterCard, a name the tournament assumed beginning in 2007. For a dozen or so years prior to that, it was known as the Bay Hill Invitational after its host course, which Palmer owns. Arnold Palmer has long been the host of this tournament.

2012 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Tiger Woods ended a 2 1/2-year winless streak on the PGA Tour, claiming a 5-stroke victory over Graeme McDowell. It was Woods' 72nd career PGA Tour win, and his seventh in this tournament. Woods hadn't won on the PGA Tour since the 2009 BMW Invitational.

2011 Arnold Palmer Invitational
Third-round leader Martin Laird gave the lead away early in the fourth round, then hit into water on the 11th. But he came back to win anyway by one stroke over Steve Marino. Laird's final-round 75 was the highest final round by a winner on the PGA Tour since Trevor Immelman at the 2008 Masters.

Official Web site
PGA Tour tournament site

PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Records:

PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Golf Courses:

The Arnold Palmer Invitational has been played at Bay Hill Club & Lodge golf course every year since 1979. Prior to that, the tournament - known as the Florida Citrus Open Invitational at that point - was played at Orlando's Rio Pinar Country Club.

See also: Photos of Arnold Palmer's first visit to Bay Hill in 1965

PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Trivia and Notes:

  • The tournament was renamed the Arnold Palmer Invitational beginning with its 2007 playing. Palmer is only the second golfer to have a PGA Tour event named for him; Byron Nelson was the first.

  • Arnold Palmer began visiting the Bay Hill Club & Lodge in 1965, and it became his winter home. Palmer became owner of the club in 1975, and in 1979 convinced the PGA Tour to move its Orlando event to Bay Hill.

  • Palmer was 41 years old when he won this tournament in 1971. It was among his last half-dozen or so wins on the PGA Tour.
  • The tournament was first played in 1966, and Lionel Hebert was the winner. Jack Nicklaus finished second that year. Nicklaus was also runnerup in 1982, when he lost a playoff to Tom Kite. Nicklaus never won this tournament.

  • Tiger Woods won the Arnold Palmer Invitational four straight years, 2000-03. Walter Hagen and Gene Sarazen are the only other golfers to win a PGA Tour event four straight years.

  • Aside from Woods, the only other golfer to win this tournament back-to-back is Loren Roberts (1994-95).

  • The other 2-time winners of the tourney are Jerry Heard (1972, 1974), Gary Koch (1977, 1984) and Ernie Els (1998, 2010).

  • Tiger Woods also won in 2008-09 and 2012, for seven victories total in this tournament. Only Sam Snead has won the same tournament times (Snead won the Greater Greensboro Open eight times).

PGA Tour Arnold Palmer Invitational Winners:

(p-playoff; w-weather shortened)

Arnold Palmer Invitational
2012 - Tiger Woods, 275
2011 - Martin Laird, 280
2010 - Ernie Els, 277
2009 - Tiger Woods, 275
2008 - Tiger Woods, 270
2007 - Vijay Singh, 272

Bay Hill Invitational
2006 - Rod Pampling, 274
2005 - Kenny Perry, 276
2004 - Chad Campbell, 270
2003 - Tiger Woods, 269
2002 - Tiger Woods, 275
2001 - Tiger Woods, 273
2000 - Tiger Woods, 270
1999 - Tim Herron-p, 274
1998 - Ernie Els, 274
1997 - Phil Mickelson, 272
1996 - Paul Goydos, 275

The Nestle Invitational
1995 - Loren Roberts, 272
1994 - Loren Roberts, 275
1993 - Ben Crenshaw, 280
1992 - Fred Couples, 269
1991 - Andrew Magee-w, 203
1990 - Robert Gamez, 274
1989 - Tom Kite-p, 278

Hertz Bay Hill Classic
1988 - Paul Azinger, 271
1987 - Payne Stewart, 264
1986 - Dan Forsman-w, 202
1985 - Fuzzy Zoeller, 275

Bay Hill Classic
1984 - Gary Koch-p, 272
1983 - Mike Nicolette-p, 283
1982 - Tom Kite-p, 278
1981 - Andy Bean, 266
1980 - Dave Eichelberger, 279

Bay Hill Citrus Classic
1979 - Bob Byman-p, 278

Florida Citrus Open Invitational
1978 - Mac McLendon, 271
1977 - Gary Koch, 274
1976 - Hale Irwin-p, 270
1975 - Lee Trevino, 276
1974 - Jerry Heard, 273
1973 - Bud Allin, 265
1972 - Jerry Heard, 276
1971 - Arnold Palmer, 270
1970 - Bob Lunn, 271
1969 - Ken Still, 278
1968 - Dan Sikes, 274
1967 - Julius Boros, 274
1966 - Lionel Hebert, 279

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