Page 18 - ARUBA TODAY

A18 SPORTS
Thursday 5 March 2020
Bay Hill has strongest field since death of Arnold Palmer

By DOUG FERGUSON reached No. 1 in the world
AP Golf Writer by winning the Honda
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — So Classic in 2012, missed last
much for the notion the week. He plans to play five
Arnold Palmer Invitational of the next six through the
wouldn't be as attractive Masters, missing only the
when its namesake was no Valspar Championship at
longer around. Innisbrook.
Rory McIlroy, Brooks Koep- Bay Hill is personal for McIl-
ka, Adam Scott and a host roy on many levels.
of other top players at Bay Palmer finally persuaded
Hill this week give the tour- him to come in 2015, and
nament its strongest field they had lunch and grew
since Palmer died in Sep- close. He'll always have
tember 2016. that memory. And then two
The condition of the course years ago, McIlroy ended
is good as ever. Florida in his longest drought by clos-
March has warmth in the ing with a 64 to win the Ar-
air and the increasing buzz nold Palmer Invitational.
that the Masters is right He was No. 13 in the world
around the corner. when he arrived. He returns
And it's still Arnie's place. this week at No. 1 thanks to
"The legacy of my grand- a two-year stretch of win-
father, it just doesn't go ning five times in his last 47
away," Sam Saunders said events worldwide, with 64%
Wednesday. "And he's not of his finishes in the top 10.
here to shake hands with "I feel like this place is a
the players and see them, lot of special memories to
but the impact ... they feel me," McIlroy said. "It was
it. They know how impor- definitely the catalyst to
tant this event is." do what I've done over the
Tiger Woods chose not to past two years and ascend
play as he picks his tour- back to the top of the
naments more sparingly world rankings."
because of a fused lower NOTES: Augusta National
spine. He has played Bay says it will proceed with its
Hill just once — a tie for fifth 12 days of golf that con-
in 2018 — since winning for cludes with the Masters
the eighth time in 2013. while closely monitoring
Even so, the Arnold Palmer developments with the
Invitational is more than coronavirus.
holding its own against a Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland follows his tee off at the second during the final round for the Chairman Fred Ridley said
schedule that features two WGC-Mexico Championship golf tournament, at the Chapultepec Golf Club in Mexico City, Sun- in a statement Wednesday
World Golf Championships day, Feb. 23, 2020. the club has consulted with
and The Players Champion- Associated Press the World Health Organiza-
ship in the weeks leading to tion, the U.S. Centers for Dis-
Augusta National. the same elevated status co. When the World Golf The Players Championship ease Control and Preven-
"It's very, very hard to pick with a big purse, smaller Championships began, the has gone up to $15 million tion and Georgia health
and choose right now be- field and ranking points only events outside the U.S. this year. authorities.
cause this is such a strong that are among the highest on the PGA Tour schedule "They were significantly Based on the current situa-
part of the year," Graeme for regular tour events. were two in Canada, the more money," Scott said tion, Ridley says the club will
McDowell said. The other tournament in British Open and Spain. of the WGCs. "Now every- proceed with the Augusta
McDowell regrets going to that elevated category, "It was much harder to get thing is a lot of money." National Women's Amateur
a World Golf Championship the Memorial, has been the world's top players to- So many tournaments. So (April 1-4), the Drive, Chip
in Mexico City, mainly be- among the strongest for gether," Scott said. "Most of much more money. So and Putt National Finals on
cause he didn't get much years. the world's top players play many options. April 5 and the Masters the
out of the high altitude with It's a question whether they on the PGA Tour as a PGA Koepka skipped the WGC following week.
his low ball flight. have become stronger Tour member now." in Mexico City and is play- "We will continue to review
There was a time when with the added perks, or if In 1999, the World Golf ing five straight events, in- the available facts and in-
players never would have the World Golf Champion- Championships, the Tour cluding the Valspar Cham- formation with the experts
considered skipping a ships are not revered as Championship and The pionship. Dustin Johnson and authorities, establish
World Golf Championship much as they were when Players Championship had was in Mexico and has precautions and take ap-
with its big purse ($10.5 mil- they began in 1999. It could the largest purses at $5 mil- taken two weeks off before propriate action to ensure
lion) and small field with no be a little of both. lion. The largest purse for a going to The Players, Val- the safety of all involved,"
cut. Now it's getting harder Scott said so much has regular PGA Tour event was spar and the Match Play. Ridley said.
to distinguish. changed in 20 years. The $3 million. Justin Thomas has skipped He encouraged those trav-
Bay Hill has a $9.3 million tour now has 10 tourna- Bay Hill, Memorial and Riv- the last two weeks and will eling to Augusta to study
purse, a 120-man field (with ments outside the U.S. — iera now have $9.3 million play the next three. Jon the most recent travel pro-
a cut) and strong world the U.K., Canada, Japan, purses, a little more than $1 Rahm played four in a row tocols and restrictions, and
ranking points. Ditto for the China, South Korea, Bermu- million less than the WGCs through Mexico and then to follow recommenda-
Genesis Invitational at Riv- da, Puerto Rico, Dominican and about $2 million to $3 took two weeks off. tions of the CDC to prevent
iera last month, which has Republic and two in Mexi- million less than the majors. Rory McIlroy, who first the spread of any virus.q