Joel Dahmen proving he can handle the pressure on TOUR

We’re in central Florida this week, and that can only mean one thing – Arnie’s event. The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is not just a golf tournament, it’s an appropriate time to reflect on the legend who passed away four years ago. Thinking about Arnie is a good thing anytime of the year, but especially this week. Oh, and there’s usually lots of drama, especially on the 72nd hole. RELATED: Featured Groups, tee times | Tiger and Arnie: Memorable meetings through the years | Expert Picks THREE PLAYERS TO PONDER THE FLYOVER The 511-yard par-5 16th at Bay Hill is the easiest hole on the course; it played to a stroke average of 4.424 last season, which ranked 22nd easiest among the 163 par 5s listed in the ShotLink stats. In fact, there were more birdies (214) than pars (132), and nearly as many eagles (16) as bogeys (19). Here’s a look at the 16th. LANDING ZONE The 460-yard par-4 eighth is the most difficult hole at Bay Hill and was the 24th most difficult of any hole played on TOUR last season. Its stroke average of 4.281 was a tad tougher than the nearly-as-tough par-4 ninth, which played at 4.253 and was also ranked among the 50th toughest holes. The green at No. 8 is guarded by water on the left side, so depending on your angle and the pin location, you might be able to avoid flirting with the water on your approach. Here’s where all tee shots at the eighth ended up last year. WEATHER CHECK From PGA TOUR meteorologist Joe Halvorson: “Patchy fog may develop on Thursday morning, but any areas of fog that do materialize would likely burn off by 8 a.m. ET. Winds will increase on Thursday ahead of a cold front forecast to bring scattered afternoon showers and perhaps a few thunderstorms (30% lightning probability). Rain chances will start after 1 p.m., though the greatest precipitation/thunderstorm chances are likely to hold off until after 4 p.m. as the front draws closer to the area. Brief heavy downpours may occur within these showers and thunderstorms, with forecast rainfall holding below 0.20 inch. Winds are expected to gust in the 25-30 mph range Thursday afternoon. Dry, cooler, and breezy conditions are then forecast for Friday through the weekend behind the front. â€� For the latest weather news from Orlando, Florida, check out the PGA TOUR Weather Hub. SOUND CHECK I’ve looked up to Mr. Palmer my whole life and, yes, for all his achievements, on and off the golf course, but probably mostly for the way he lived his life and the way he treated other people. And that’s something that I really try to do as well, try and be like him. BY THE NUMBERS 239: Total balls in the water at Bay Hill last season, marking the fourth most at this course in the ShotLink era. 168: Feet of putts made on the 72nd hole by the eventual Arnold Palmer Invitational winners since 2003, most by event winners in the ShotLink era. 199: Improvement in the FedExCup standings by Brendon Todd from his position at this point last year (when he was 204th) to now (5th). That’s the biggest year-over-year improvement of any player this week. 10,095: Total approach shots at Bay Hill since 2015, most of any course on TOUR in the last six seasons. 69.40: Rory McIlroy’s scoring average at the Arnold Palmer Invitational since 2015, lowest of any player in that stretch with eight minimum rounds. SCATTERSHOTS Euro group: Two years ago, Rory McIlroy and Justin Rose were paired in the final round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, with McIlroy shooting a 64 to claim the title. This time, they’re paired in the first two rounds along with defending champ Francesco Molinari in a threesome that includes the last two FedExCup champs (Rose in 2018, McIlroy in 2019) and three European Ryder Cup teammates. For McIlroy and Molinari, this is the first time in seven years they’ve been paired on U.S. soil – the last time was the third round of the 2013 PGA Championship. ROY reunion: Arnold Palmer’s name is attached to the PGA TOUR’s Rookie of the Year award, and it’s no surprised that so many former ROY winners are in this week’s field, including The Honda Classic winner Sungjae Im, who won the award last season. Other past ROYs include: Xander Schauffele (2017), Emiliano Grillo (2016), Keegan Bradley (2011), Rickie Fowler (2010), Marc Leishman (2009), Charles Howell III (2001), Stewart Cink (1997), Vijay Singh (1993) and Robert Gamez (1990).   Molinari’s brother: Edoardo Molinari, the brother of defending champion Francesco Molinari, had to pull out of a recent European Tour event after being quarantined for fears of having the Coronavirus. Francesco said his brother told him that his health is fine, and that the decision stemmed from Edoardo’s roommate suffering flu-like symptoms. “He was, I would say, more annoyed than scared because he was feeling well,â€� Francesco said. “He had no symptoms. … Obviously being Italian, it’s not a great time back home with the health situation and I don’t know, hopefully they can get it sorted somehow quickly.â€� For the PGA TOUR’s statement on the coronavirus, please click here. 

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TORONTO — Wyndham Clark closed with an unlikely par save Friday to take a one-stroke lead over defending champion Rory McIlroy and four other players into the weekend in the RBC Canadian Open. After bogeying Nos. 15 and 16 in windy conditions at St. George’s, Clark got up-and-down from about 50 feet from a semi-plugged lie on the downslope in a greenside bunker on the par-4 18th. He was 7 under after an even-par 70. “Really had no chance,” Clark said. “And I would love to say I was trying to do what I did, but I was trying to punt a little bit out to the right and somehow how when I came into the ball it like plopped up to the left and landed in the rough and trickled down to 4 feet. It was definitely the best save I’ve had of the year. It was pretty awesome.” McIlroy (68) was tied with Matt Fitzpatrick (70), Alex Smalley (67), Keith Mitchell (67) and Jim Knous (67). McIlroy had to wait three years to defend his 2019 title because of the COVID-19 pandemic that canceled golf’s fourth-oldest championship the last two years. “Challenging,” McIlroy said. “I think the only thing this golf course needs for it to feel a little more major like is just a bit of length. I think that’s the only thing that’s missing. The rough is very penal, the greens are tricky, the wind’s up, it’s drying out a little bit because of the wind. All of a sudden you’ve got a pretty testing golf course.” Fitzpatrick closed double bogey-birdie-bogey-bogey-bogey. “Just a poor finish,” Fitzpatrick said.” Just didn’t hole the putts I needed to on the last three. Just pathetic. Yeah, just pathetic finish really with the putter.” Clark birdied the par-14th to reach 9 under, then bogeyed the next two. On the par-5 15, he drove into the right fairway bunker and saved bogey with a 10-footer. On the par-3 16th, he missed a 7 1/2-foot par try after hitting short and right into a bunker. “Honestly, I played really well,” Clark said. “It was tough out there. It was windy, there was some tough pin placements. You guys have seen, these greens are very tough and you get into some tough spots where you have to be defensive even from 10, 15 feet.” Clark opened with a 63 on Thursday after rallying Monday in a 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier to get into the field next week at The Country Club outside Boston. Masters champion Scottie Scheffler was 4 under after a 67. Aaron Cockerill and Nick Taylor were the top Canadians, tied for 21st at 2 under. Cockerill, making his PGA TOUR debut, shot a 68. Taylor had a 70. “First PGA TOUR event and I’m in a decent position going into the weekend,” Cockerill said. “Kind of where I want to be and see if we can throw a low one on the board tomorrow and see what happens.” PGA Championship winner Justin Thomas also was 2 under after his second 69.

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SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jon Rahm, the second-ranked player in both the FedExCup and the Official World Golf Ranking, said the enormity of potentially reaching No. 1 in the world caught up to him at the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines last weekend. Rahm opened with scores of 68-66, but with the No. 1 ranking tantalizingly close, he shot 75-77 on the weekend at the difficult South Course, ultimately finishing tied for 29th. Several other players struggled at Torrey as the wind picked up on the weekend, especially Sunday, but at the Waste Management Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale on Wednesday, Rahm said the potential ramifications of his situation seemed to hit him all at once. “In my case, it was just a lot to process in a few days,� he said. “I felt like up until Friday I didn’t realize anything, and then it all hit me and on the weekend, what happened, happened.� Rahm was No. 137 in the OWGR going into the Farmers last season, and won to begin a dizzying rise through the rankings. He picked up his second PGA TOUR victory at the CareerBuilder Challenge two weeks ago, and said he didn’t realize until Wednesday of Farmers week that with another victory at Torrey he would take the No. 1 ranking from Dustin Johnson. “I mean, there’s nothing to do but learn from it,� said Rahm, who finished T5 as an amateur at the Waste Management in 2015, and was T16 here a year ago. “Now, every time I go to a tournament, I know that the possibility of becoming No. 1 in the world is there.� As for why it would mean so much, Rahm, who is from Spain but attended Arizona State and still lives in Scottsdale, said the answer is simple. “It’s a goal I’ve been working for over 10 years, and I’m only 23,� he said. “So close to half my life, I’ve been working to get to that point.� Rahm will tee off with fellow Sun Devil Phil Mickelson and Rookie of the Year Xander Schauffele at 9:56 a.m. ET Thursday.

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