Scottie Scheffler aims to secure his second victory of the year at the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational, hosted at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida. Entering as the favorite with odds of +350 from FanDuel, Scheffler, 29, boasts 20 PGA Tour wins and has maintained the world number one ranking since March 27, 2022. He recently claimed the American Express Desert Classic title on January 25, finishing four strokes ahead of his closest challengers.
Strong Contenders and Tournament Details
The tournament begins at 7:40 a.m. ET on Thursday, featuring a $20 million prize purse on the par-72, 7,466-yard course. Besides Scheffler, notable contenders include Rory McIlroy (+1000), Tommy Fleetwood (+2000), Xander Schauffele (+2200), Matt Fitzpatrick, and Collin Morikawa (both +2500). Defending champion Russell Henley, who won the 2025 event by a single stroke over Morikawa, enters with +3500 odds.
Handicapping Expert Brady Kannon’s Insight on the Field
Golf betting expert Brady Kannon, with over three decades of handicapping experience, has shared his predictions for the event. Kannon has a strong track record, including eight major outright winner picks since 2013 and several PGA Tour winners, notably Harris English’s 110-1 upset at the 2025 Farmers Insurance Open. His keen eye for longshots is backed by a solid 25-17-4 record on head-to-head bets since joining SportsLine.
Why Si Woo Kim Is a Player to Avoid This Year
Kannon has emphatically advised against betting on Si Woo Kim in outright and head-to-head bets for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
“Kim began the 2026 season scorching hot but has since cooled a bit in his last two starts, both Signature Events, finishing 45th at Pebble Beach and 34th at Riviera,”
Kannon said.
“He was third earlier this year in Phoenix but historically, has not been exceptional at a course that seems to show correlated success to Bay Hill. Here in Orlando, Kim has missed the cut three times and hasn’t ever finished better than 19th. I’m just not sure this course is the best fit for his game. I will be staying away for now and will try to find an attractive matchup to possibly go against him.”
Strategies for Making Strong Picks at Bay Hill
Kannon has identified a surprising contender with odds above 35-1 as his top outright pick, praising the golfer as an ideal fit for the Bay Hill course. This player’s profile suggests serious potential for a breakthrough performance, offering bettors an opportunity for a significant return. Those interested in detailed picks and sleeper choices can refer to exclusive resources at SportsLine.
Complete Odds and Competitor Field for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational
The full betting field includes a mix of established stars and rising contenders. Current odds from FanDuel are as follows:
Scottie Scheffler +350, Rory McIlroy +1000, Tommy Fleetwood +2000, Xander Schauffele +2200, Matt Fitzpatrick +2500, Collin Morikawa +2500, Harris English +3000, Si Woo Kim +3300, Hideki Matsuyama +3300, Ludvig Åberg +3300, Viktor Hovland +3300, Russell Henley +3500, Cameron Young +3500, Robert MacIntyre +4000, Patrick Cantlay +4000, Min Woo Lee +4000, Jake Knapp +4000, Shane Lowry +4000, Adam Scott +4000, Justin Rose +4500, Chris Gotterup +4500, Kurt Kitayama +4500, Sam Burns +5000, Ben Griffin +5000, Sepp Straka +5500, Rickie Fowler +6000, Nicolai Højgaard +6000, Ryan Gerard +6000, Jacob Bridgeman +6000, Maverick McNealy +6000, Pierceson Coody +6000, Justin Thomas +6500, Akshay Bhatia +6500, Jordan Spieth +7000, Corey Conners +7000, Keegan Bradley +7000, Jason Day +8000, Nick Taylor +8000, Alex Noren +8000, J.J. Spaun +8000, Keith Mitchell +8000, Ryan Fox +8000, Sahith Theegala +10000, Ryo Hisatsune +10000, Nico Echavarria +10000, Michael Thorbjornsen +10000, Max Greyserman +10000, Harry Hall +10000, Daniel Berger +10000, Samuel Stevens +10000, Taylor Pendrith +10000, J.T. Poston +12500, Matt McCarty +12500, Chris Kirk +15000, Patrick Rodgers +15000, Aldrich Potgieter +15000, Sungjae Im +15000, Austin Smotherman +15000, Joel Dahmen +17500, Brian Harman +17500, Michael Kim +17500, Denny McCarthy +17500, Taylor Moore +17500, Andrew Novak +22500, Bud Cauley +22500, Tom Hoge +22500, Billy Horschel +25000, Lucas Glover +35000, Andrew Putnam +50000, Daniel Bennett +75000, Brian Campbell +100000, Jhonattan Vegas +100000.
What This Means for Golf Fans and Bettors
The 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational features a highly competitive field, with clear favorites and several longshots making it a challenging event for bettors. Scheffler’s dominance and prior success on the PGA Tour position him as a likely winner, but golf expert Brady Kannon’s warnings about Si Woo Kim demonstrate the importance of course fit and recent form in handicapping selections. Bettors are encouraged to consider Kannon’s advice seriously, especially his counsel to avoid Kim and to look for less obvious picks who may capitalize on course conditions.
