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Horse Racing Arnold Palmer Invitational Tips 2024: 46.00 Expert Pick For This Weekend’s Action
Arnold Palmer Invitational Tips: Thursday, March 7th
Bay Hill Club and Lodge is the host venue for the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Our betting expert Duncan Campbell has prepared his Arnold Palmer Invitational tips for the 2024 edition of this tournament.
- Selection: Keegan Bradley EW (1/5 1-8)
- Best Odds: 46.00 (bet365)
- Stakes: 1/10
Odds via bet365 as at 22.55 March 4th 2024. Odds may now differ.
Our Arnold Palmer Invitational tip is for Keegan Bradley to win each way at odds of 45/1.
In this article:
Arnold Palmer Invitational Overview
Thursday, 7th March, 12:00 (UK)
Mr Palmer may no longer be with us but he would certainly approve of the field that has been assembled for the 46th Arnold Palmer Invitational held at Bay Hill Club and Lodge. Just as it was last year, this event has been elevated to a Signature event on the PGA Tour, with nine of the world’s top ten players competing for the $20m prize fund.
The original course layout at Bay Hill was designed by Dick Wilson and Joe Lee but Arnold Palmer tinkered with the course on numerous occasions over the years and had a significant impact on how the course now plays. A par 72, stretching out to almost 7,500 yards, it is a course that demands quality ball striking and an ability to keep clear of the many water hazards. Just as with last week’s Cognizant Classic, an ability to keep control of the ball in breezy Florida conditions is also paramount.
Given the long history this event holds, those players with course knowledge are considered to be at an advantage. Eight of the past thirteen winners of the Arnold Palmer Invitational had previously posted a top five finish. Kurt Kitayama bucked that trend when winning on his event debut last year but I’ve certainly factored in previous course form when making my Arnold Palmer Invitational tips.
The weather could have an impact on proceedings, just as it did when forcing last week’s Cognizant Classic into a Monday finish. Light rain is forecast on Thursday and Sunday, with Saturday forecast to have the strongest winds of up to 20mph.
Arnold Palmer Invitational Tips
Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler are both respected at the front of the betting for this week’s PGA Tour event but neither rates as my favourite Arnold Palmer Invitational tip. Instead, I am drawn to a player who hasn’t missed an event at Bay Hill since making his tournament debut in 2011.
Keegan Bradley has done everything but win this event over the years having finished second, third and posted several other top ten finishes. He is on record as saying he “loves” Bay Hill and that may well be down to the fact he typically enjoys tougher tests of golf on the PGA Tour.
A strong start to the year was marred by a missed cut last time out at the Genesis Invitational but on closer inspection that missed cut was attributable to a very poor putting performance. Bradley has struggled at Riviera for a number of years now and that’s a result I am willing to set to one side given his larger body of work in 2024. A second place finish at the Sony Open and eleventh at Pebble Beach are perhaps more indicative of where his game is currently at.
Any concerns over his putter are alleviated by the fact Bradley has gained strokes on the greens in each of his last three starts at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. A good week with the putter often results in a big finish from the world number 15 and he’ll be relishing the trip back to a course where he historically putts well. Back Bradley at odds of 46.00 with bet365.
One man who was under consideration in the outright market was Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Having started the year in stellar form, the world number 61 looks to be a player ready to make the step into the winner’s circle on the PGA Tour. However, on this occasion I preferred Bradley and I think backing Bezuidenhout in the Top 30 market with bet365 is the way to go.
The South African has recorded four top 30 finishes from six starts on the PGA Tour in 2024 and if that record is extended back to the Sanderson Farms Championship in October last year, he has secured a top 30 finish in eight of his last eleven starts worldwide. A missed cut last week shouldn’t be too much of an issue given his approach play was once again above average and he missed out on playing the weekend by a solitary stroke.
The Arnold Palmer Invitational has been one of Bezuidenhout’s stronger events on the PGA Tour and the fact he has recorded three top 20 finishes from only four starts further strengthens the argument for him recording a top 30 finish this time around. Additional encouragement can be taken from those finishes coming in full field events, whilst this year he will only have to better the score of 39 other players. Back Bezuidenhout at 1.91 with bet365 to finish inside the top 30.
- Selection: Keegan Bradley EW (1/5 1-8)
- Best Odds: 46.00 (bet365)
- Stakes: 1/10
Odds via bet365 as at 22.55 March 4th 2024. Odds may now differ.
