“It was a tough one because if I go out there, I shoot 71, I win the golf tournament”, McIlroy told his pre-tournament press conference at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, which will have a prize fund of Dollars 8.7 million from 2017, an increase of USD 2.4 million.
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How long can he sustain this great run?
“[One thing I would like to borrow from Palmer is] how good he is with people”, said McIlroy. I need to go on to the range and work on it a little bit and see if I can figure it out.
“Tiger (Woods) kept running for about ten years”.
Arnold Palmer will not hit a ceremonial tee shot to kick off the Masters.
“I didn’t play my best golf tee-to-green, but I chipped and putted really well today”, Scott said.
Due to a shoulder injury, Palmer won’t be participating in the tee shot. He is slowing down, his speech isn’t as sharp and his hearing not as clear, so he is taping interviews for the telecast this week.
This week, the PGA Tour is making its annual stop at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and even there, the seven-time major victor has taken a reduced role.
In some respects, Scott has a score to settle.
Aaron Baddeley shot a four-over 76.
He is nine behind Jason Day, the world No 3, who bounced back to form with a 66.
So just to reassess what happened at Bay Hill in the first 18 holes of action: The man who ascended past Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy to world No. 1 late last season is leading. His week included lunch and stories with Palmer. He seized a seven-shot lead after 36 holes two years ago and led by three after 54 holes but shot 76 to lose.
He can appreciate what Scott is going, though.
Stenson is winless on the PGA Tour since his FedEx Cup-clinching victory at the Tour Championship in 2013.
And certainly Palmer’s star shines bright at this time of the year with his tournament as well as a tournament he won four times (the Masters) forthcoming.
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.
His philosophy is to grab it while you can. McIlroy said that’s not what he admires most about The King, though.
Four-time Masters champion Arnold Palmer will not hit the ceremonial opening tee shot at Augusta National this year for the first time since 2007.
Scott was third at Bay Hill in 2004 and in 2014. “He seems very confident with his overall game”, McIlroy said of the in-form Australian.
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Stenson hasn’t had any trouble going low at Bay Hill. He finished runner-up last year to Matt Every, and was tied for fifth, eighth and 15th his other three years.
