One stroke was all that separated golfer Russell Henley from runner-up Collin Morikawa at the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational. The 35-year-old American finished the final day of play with two pars to secure the victory, but it’s what happened on the Par 5, 16th hole that stole the show.
Henley’s chip-in eagle gave him the lead –one that he wouldn’t relinquish in the final two holes – and secured his fifth career PGA Tour victory and first in nearly 2½ years.
That eagle really was the difference. Prior to the 16th hole, Henley sat at even par for the day. He finished Sunday with a 2-under 70. Morikawa, meanwhile, finished Sunday with a 72, allowing Henley to leap frog him and take the trophy.
Henley’s back nine was solid. He trailed Morikawa by three strokes at the turn, and after a bogey on 10, he settled into a groove, scoring two birdies and the knockout eagle in the final eight holes.
“Hats off to Collin,” said Henley. “He played great today, he played super-steady and sometimes golf is mean like that.”
How long had it been since Henley won a PGA Tour event?
854 days.
Henley’s last win came at the World Wide Technology Championship at El Camaleón Golf Course at Mayakoba in Riviera Maya, Mexico, on Nov. 6, 2022. At 23-under, Henley won that tournament by four strokes over second-place Brian Harman. Henley was carried by stellar performances in the first two rounds, shooting 63 on both days, coasting to victory over the weekend.
Since then, Henley has struggled to win an event. Since 2024, Henley had been tied with Sungjae Im for the most top-10 finishes without a win (10) until he ended that run with his victory today on the Bay HIll Golf Course in Orlando.
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How much did Henley win?
The first-place finish netted Henley $4 million. Morikawa earned a little more than half that with his second-place finish, walking away with $2.2 million. Third-place Corey Conners ($1.4 million) and fourth-place Michael Kim ($1 million) were the only other golfers to earn more than a million over the weekend.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Russell Henley wins 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational with late eagle
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