Inside the Field: WGC-FedEx St. Jude Invitational

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FLORIDA - Eight-time PGA TOUR winner Brooks Koepka has withdrawn from the 2021 PLAYERS Championship due to injury. "Brooks strained his right knee and he is scheduled to further consult with doctors this week to receive a more extensive evaluation and outlook," said Blake Smith, Koepka's manager. "We will be able to provide additional updates and information as we learn more." Koepka, currently seventh in the FedExCup standings on the strength of a win at the Waste Management Phoenix Open, last played at the World Golf Championships-Workday Championship at The Concession where he finished in a tie for second. With Koepka's withdrawal, the field now includes 48 of the top 50 in both the FedExCup standings and the Official World Golf Ranking. He will be replaced in the 154-player field by Anirban Lahiri of India, unless a player not otherwise exempt wins the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard.

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The legacy of the late great Arnold Palmer lives on in the PGA TOUR’s annual stop to Bay Hill Club and Lodge for the Arnold Palmer Invitational Presented by Mastercard. This iconic part of the Florida swing aptly provides players the chance to come home with a flourish to claim a title and change their lives … this event has elevated status with a three-year win exemption among other great perks. Last season’s finish featured Rory McIlroy birdieing five of the last six holes to hold off the likes of Tiger Woods and Bryson DeChambeau. We are almost guaranteed Disney level theatre just a few miles from Disneyworld itself. THE FLYOVER  If you want to make an Arnold Palmer like charge late you need to get after the par-5 16th hole. Despite McIlroy’s incredible surge the 16th is the only hole of the last five at Bay Hill that played under par over the last nine seasons! But despite the 24 eagles and 233 birdies on it last year it was actually a Tiger Woods snap hook out-of-bounds that was the lasting memory. You still have to execute … LANDING ZONE  Over the last three editions of the Arnold Palmer Invitational the par-4 18th – at 458 yards – has been the toughest hole on the course twice and the second toughest on the other occasion. If you want to get the classic red cardigan as a winner, you need to thread the needle off the tee so you’re not trying to carry the water on approach from the rough. Check out where all the tee shots landed last year. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Stewart Williams: “A cold start Wednesday morning with lows in the low 40s. Wind chill values will make it feel more like the mid 30s. Temperatures will struggle to warm into the low 60s for the afternoon which is 10-15 degrees below normal for this time of year. After another cold start Thursday morning, the warming trend begins during the afternoon with highs returning to the low 70s. Even warmer temperatures can be expected Friday through the weekend with highs in the 80s. Can’t rule out a few showers late in the day Sunday ahead of the next cold front moving into Northern Florida.� For the latest weather news from Orlando, Florida, check out PGATOUR.COM’s Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I want to be more and more like Arnold. He kind of set the bar for what I want to do. It’s not just in the game of golf but leaving a legacy of changing people’s lives for the better. BY THE NUMBERS  11 – Number of former Rookies of the Year in the field in the week the PGA TOUR announced the award will be named after Arnold Palmer going forward. Daniel Berger (2015), Keegan Bradley (2011), Ernie Els (1994), Rickie Fowler (2010), Robert Gamez (1990), Chesson Hadley (2014), Charles Howell III (2001), Marc Leishman (2009), Vijay Singh (1993), Brandt Snedeker (2007) and Aaron Wise (2018) are all previous winners of the award while Els (1998 and 2010), Gamez (1990), Leishman (2017) and Singh (2007) are also former winners of the event. 62 – Number of PGA TOUR titles Arnold Palmer won in his career. Only four others have won more than the games greatest ambassador. 43 – Number of non-American players in the 123-man field who are looking to make it a fourth year in a row with a global player at the top pf the leaderboard. Jason Day, Marc Leishman and Rory McIlroy broke a run of four American wins prior. 8 – Number of winners (out of 12) who have gone on to make the TOUR Championship in the FedExCup era after taking care of business at Bay Hill. Tiger Woods won both the API and the FedExCup in 2009. SCATTERSHOTS Elevated Status: The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard honors Golf’s Greatest Ambassador as one of three elevated events on the PGA TOUR schedule which offers a heightened purse and a three-year exemption to the winner, instead of the two-year exemption awarded at other TOUR events (the other two elevated events are Jack Nicklaus’ the Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide and Tiger Woods’ L.A. event, known as the Genesis Open on the 2018-19 TOUR schedule). Host Rose looking to go back-to-back: Justin Rose will make his first start on TOUR since his win at the Farmers Insurance Open. Rose is making his 10th consecutive start and 14th overall at Bay Hill where he has four top-10s in his last seven starts, including a third-place finish in 2018. Rose is one of three members of the Host Committee, assembled to honor Mr. Palmer by stepping into traditional tournament roles. Giving back: All proceeds from the tournament benefit the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation (formerly Arnie’s Army Charitable Foundation), which locally supports the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children and Winnie Palmer Hospital for Women & Babies. Arnie’s March Against Children’s Cancer, held on Tuesday afternoon, supports pediatric cancer research and clinical trials at the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children. Aussie Omen: With THE PLAYERS Championship moving back to March this represents the first time since 2006 the Arnold Palmer Invitational is in the week prior to the annual pilgrimage to TPC Sawgrass. Back then the winner was Australian Rod Pampling. Given Jason Day and Marc Leishman are two of the last three champions at Bay Hill they might be feeling extra confident. Or perhaps the other Aussie in the field – Aaron Baddeley – might be one to watch.

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Jordan Spieth nailed a 55-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th and shot 9-under 63 on Thursday, giving him a share of the lead with J.J. Spaun at the Byron Nelson.

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