Scott ups the pressure on McIlroy, Day at Arnold Palmer Invitational

The famous tournament reaches the grand old age of 50 this year, and sees a number of big names return to the Bay Hill Club.

Published : Mar 16, 2016 21:18 IST , Bay Hill (Florida)

In-form Australian Adam Scott will be looking to up the pressure on world numbers two and three Rory McIlory and Jason Day after a superb two wins.
In-form Australian Adam Scott will be looking to up the pressure on world numbers two and three Rory McIlory and Jason Day after a superb two wins.
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In-form Australian Adam Scott will be looking to up the pressure on world numbers two and three Rory McIlory and Jason Day after a superb two wins.

Playing in the Arnold Palmer Invitational is about more than just the $6.3million purse on offer.

It's about respect for one of golf's biggest and most popular names.

The famous tournament reaches the grand old age of 50 this year, and sees a number of big names return to the Bay Hill Club.

Palmer, or "the King" as he is often referred to, will not be as active as he once was on the course, with the 86-year-old starting to "feel his age", according to his grandson and pro golfer Sam Saunders but the tournament has still pulled the big names.

Two-time defending champions Matt Every returns as he chases a hat-trick, while in-form Australian Adam Scott will be looking to up the pressure on world numbers two and three  Rory McIlory and Jason Day after a superb two wins.

Every chases third-straight win

Tiger Woods became one of only four players to win any PGA Tour tournament four times in a row when he won from 2000 to 2003 and Every is halfway to competing the same feat after taking out the last two Arnold Palmer Invitational tournaments.

He enters this year's edition in horrid form, however, having failed to make the cut in three of his six PGA starts this season, including two of his last three.

Scott, on the other hand, has two wins and a second-place finish from his last three starts, having won the Honda Classic and the WGC Cadillac.

His compatriot and world number three Jason Day will also be contesting after a quiet start to 2016, while world number two McIlroy also features in a star-studded line-up.

A course fir for a king  

Palmer bought the Bay Hill Clubin 1977 after falling in love with the course as a player.

Since taking control, he has redesigned the 72-par course which sprawls over 270 acres and offers some of the toughest holes to be played on the tour.

Day and McLlroy under pressure

With Scott cranking up the pressure on the top three golfers in the world, he will be delighted to be getting a crack at McIlory and Day.

That means the pressure is on the Northern Irishman and Australian, who have made quiet starts to 2016 by their standards.

McIlory has played five events this year for two third place finishes, while Day has just one top-10 finish to show for his four starts.

Every, Stenson comfort zone

Something about Bay Hill makes for comfortable golf for champion Every.

In six starts at this tournament, he has made five cuts and won twice, hitting a low round of 66 four times and averaging just 71.14.

Remarkably, that average is bettered by none other than 2015 runner-up Stenson.

Stenson has made seven cuts from seven starts, struck rounds of 66 twice and averages just 70.79 on the course but his second place finish last season remains his best.

Only the best for Stenson  

Stenson believes only the best will do at Bay Hill.

"It's a course where you can't get away with playing only decent, you got to play pretty well around here," Stenson stated after a bogey-free, six-under 66 in the third round last year. 

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