Arnold Palmer Invitational: No Tiger, but Scottie Scheffler leads 47 of top 50 in the world

Tiger Woods will not be playing the PGA Tour’s Signature Event next week, the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando.

But almost everyone else of significance in the world will be there, led by defending champion and world No. 1-ranked Scottie Scheffler.

The API field was released late Friday afternoon and 47 of the top-50 players on the world rankings have committed. The only absences are two players on the LIV Golf League, No. 8 Tyrrell Hatton and No. 11 Bryson DeChambeau, and No. 45 Rasmus Hojgaard, who is not eligible for the event.

Joining Scheffler will be No. 2 Xander Schauffele, No. 3 Rory McIlroy, No. 4 Ludvig Aberg and No. 5 Collin Morkiawa. The tournament will begin on March 6.

The field of 72 could be modified if a player not otherwise eligible wins this week’s Cognizant Classic or reaches the Aon “Next 10,” the Aon “Swing 5” or the top 30 on the World Rankings.

Woods had planned to compete in the Genesis Invitational two weeks ago but announced that his game wasn’t yet ready. If he wants a start before the Masters in April, his logical choices are The Players Championship March 13-16 at the Players Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass or the Valspar Championship at the Innisbrook Resort in Palm Harbor March 20-23.

Scheffler won at Bay Hill and the Players the following week. He won the Masters and went to capture seven PGA Tour titles and the Olympics, earning his third consecutive PGA Tour Player of the Year Award.

Also playing at Bay Hill are 2025 PGA Tour winners Hideki Matsuyama, Nick Taylor, Thomas Detry, Sepp Straka and Brian Campbell.

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Arnold Palmer Invitational: Tiger Woods passes but 47 of top 50 are in