PGA in the Book: Arnold Palmer Invitational preview, best bets, parlays, more

The Arnold Palmer Invitational is set to tee off Thursday with a competitive field at the iconic Bay Hill Club. For a tournament that is often used as a warmup for the Players Championship next weekend, you can expect a loaded and competitive field set to battle in Orlando. Let’s take a look at the book and find where the value is this weekend.

Top 5 Finisher: Scottie Scheffler (+150)

Not only is Scottie Scheffler the No. 1 golfer in the world right now, but he also has a proven track record of success at Bay Hill. Scheffler has finished in the top five at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in the past two tournaments and is currently riding the momentum of top-10 finishes in four out of five starts he has made this year, and two in the top five. While the +150 odds may seem like not a lot of juice, the value of getting Scheffler at plus money right now is too good of an opportunity to pass up. Scheffler has been dialed in to kick off the PGA Tour this year and there is no reason to believe he is not going to do the same this weekend.

Top 10 Finishers: Patrick Cantlay (+170), Keegan Bradley (+450)

Starting with Cantlay, the current No. 6 golfer in the world has had struggles to start the year, with only one top-10 finish in five starts. However, he showcased his skills at the Arnold Palmer Invitational last year, finishing in the top five in his first-ever appearance. This tournament seems to provide Cantlay with the perfect opportunity to find his swing and finish in the top ten at a course where he has a proven track record.

Keegan Bradley is my favorite bet of this tournament. While Bradley may fly under the radar due to his lack of tournament wins, he remains one of the most consistent golfers on tour. Bay Hill has been one of the top places Bradley has performed, finishing in the top ten of the Arnold Palmer Invitational in two out of the last three tournaments. Bradley has not exactly been great to start the year, with only one top-ten finish in five starts. This weekend in Orlando, I expect Bradley to get back on track and find a way to get himself in contention in the top ten.

Top 10 Finisher Parlay: Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy (+250)

We already discussed Scheffler and why the numbers point to the best golfer in the world having another dominant weekend. Not to be lost in the shuffle is the number two golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy. In McIlroy’s last seven starts at Bay Hill, he has been a top-ten finisher six times. To start the year, the number two golfer in the world has struggled with no top-20 finishes in his first three starts. Now that we are getting into the swing of the PGA season, I fully expect McIlroy to bounce back and start to find his groove this season. Considering it is at a course where he has had so much success, there is no reason why McIlroy should not be a favorite this weekend. Combining the track record of these two players at Bay Hill makes this my favorite parlay of the weekend. 

Odds courtesy of DraftKings. For more, click here.

For more on the Arnold Palmer Invitational, visit AMNY.com