We’re lower than every week away from the PGA Tour’s fourth Signature Occasion of the season: the Arnold Palmer Invitational. As most of the world’s greatest golfers descend upon Bay Hill Nation Membership, two golfers followers are accustomed to seeing at prestigious occasions could also be out within the chilly.
Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler weren’t given sponsor’s exemptions for the Arnold Palmer Invitational, as reported by Golfweek’s Adam Schupak. That signifies that each Spieth and Fowler should play their manner into the match, with virtually no time left to take action.
Each males have 3 ways to realize entry. One in every of them can win the Cognizant Basic this week. They may climb inside the highest 30 within the Official World Golf Rankings (presently Spieth 70, Fowler 95). Or, they may transfer into the highest 5 of the AON Swing 5. Neither of the latter two selections appear seemingly and there can solely be one winner this week.
As of this writing, each Spieth and Fowler are taking part in nicely. Fowler is tied for fourth at 10-under and Spieth is one shot again. They’re each taking part in the again 9 of the second spherical.
Rickie Fowler, Jordan Spieth 2024 Season Prices Them
Fowler is coming off of a dreadful 2024 season on the PGA Tour. He garnered just one top-10 in 23 occasions, lacking six cuts. The previous Oklahoma State Cowboy completed exterior the highest 50 within the FedEx Cup standings, which might have assured him a spot on this 12 months’s Signature Occasions.
In the meantime, Spieth has had rather a lot going in opposition to him. He additionally performed poorly in 2024. That coincided with Spieth’s wrist harm, which led to surgical procedure final fall. The restoration time stored him from taking part in within the PGA Tour fall schedule and put him behind the 8-ball to climb the world rankings.
Each Spieth and Fowler had been supplied sponsor exemptions into two Signature Occasions already this 12 months: the AT&T Pebble Seaside Professional-Am and the Genesis Invitational. Neither participant fared nicely at both occasion. That was a part of the API’s thought course of when deciding to not give them exemptions.
Arnold Palmer Invitational match director Drew Donovan declined to call the 4 golfers who got exemptions. Nonetheless, Arnold Palmer’s grandson, Sam Saunders, who’s a member of the sponsor exemption committee, shed some gentle.
“What our workforce did was attempt to choose gamers that, you recognize, it is about defending and rising the sport of golf as a complete,” mentioned Saunders.
“On the finish of the day, it is who’s getting the ball within the gap the quickest which might be those who get the alternatives. You possibly can’t make all people pleased with exemptions. So that you attempt to simply do it as honest and balanced as potential.”
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Arnold Palmer Invitational Exemption Identified
By the way, throughout final week’s Mexico Open, Rafael Campos advised the media that he was given a sponsor’s exemption into the API. So, that’s one.
The choice to not embody Spieth makes a bit extra sense. He has solely ever performed this match as soon as earlier than it turned a Signature Occasion. However Fowler will make you shake your head a bit extra.
The Orange Warrior had a private relationship with Palmer up till his passing. He has been a steward and champion of types for the occasion. To not point out, he embodies a lot of what Palmer meant to the sport of golf.
Saunders addressed that as nicely.
“I believe each considered one of us desires Rickie Fowler to be taking part in within the match, we love him. He is been top-of-the-line spokespersons on behalf of my grandfather and carrying on that legacy, no one does it higher than Rickie Fowler. Rickie had gotten a few alternatives for exemptions within the elevated occasions already, and that was one thing that needed to be considered.
“You need different gamers to get alternatives. There are lots of gamers on the PGA Tour. And, you recognize, not everybody could also be family names, however it’s about attempting to offer one of the best competitors.”
It’s nonetheless unclear who the opposite three gamers are that acquired the exemptions into the API.