The PGA Tour will feature its third Signature Event of 2026 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week. Hosted at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, 72 of the top golfers on the PGA Tour will play this lengthy par-72 course for a chance to win $4 million.
Due to the condensed field, DFS salaries will be more expensive. All of the big names are in attendance, led by betting favorites Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Scheffler has two wins at Bay Hill since 2022, while Russell Henley returns as the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion.
Bermudagrass is the primary surface for fairways, four-inch rough, and undulating greens at Bay Hill. Green speeds run up to 13 feet, while they are 7,500 square feet, meaning proximity on approach will be key. Water hazards and long fairways abound, so driving distance and accuracy tee-to-green are key to climbing the leaderboard.
My PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 Cognizant Classic) had some quality finishes from my recommended prospects. Shane Lowry and Nicolai Højgaard both played well, carding T2 and T6 finishes from my Tier 1 plays. Will Zalatoris withdrew, while Max McGreevy logged a T40 finish. Sam Ryder was the lone missed cut from Tier 3, while Kevin Roy secured a solid T23 finish.
The PGA Tour will feature its third Signature Event of 2026 at the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week. Hosted at Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge in Orlando, Florida, 72 of the top golfers on the PGA Tour will play this lengthy par-72 course for a chance to win $4 million.
Due to the condensed field, DFS salaries will be more expensive. All of the big names are in attendance, led by betting favorites Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy. Scheffler has two wins at Bay Hill since 2022, while Russell Henley returns as the 2025 Arnold Palmer Invitational champion.
Bermudagrass is the primary surface for fairways, four-inch rough, and undulating greens at Bay Hill. Green speeds run up to 13 feet, while they are 7,500 square feet, meaning proximity on approach will be key. Water hazards and long fairways abound, so driving distance and accuracy tee-to-green are key to climbing the leaderboard.
My PGA DFS Lineup Advice: Top Golfers (2026 Cognizant Classic) had some quality finishes from my recommended prospects. Shane Lowry and Nicolai Højgaard both played well, carding T2 and T6 finishes from my Tier 1 plays. Will Zalatoris withdrew, while Max McGreevy logged a T40 finish. Sam Ryder was the lone missed cut from Tier 3, while Kevin Roy secured a solid T23 finish.
Let’s maximize our lineups for production with six high-value golfers ahead of Round 1 of the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational on Thursday morning. Follow me on X at Matt_MacKay_ for more picks throughout the 2026 PGA Tour season.
PGA DFS: Top Golfers (2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational)
DraftKings Salary: $50,000 | FanDuel Salary: $60,000
TIER 1
| Golfer |
DK $ |
FD $ |
| Rory McIlroy |
$11,600 |
$13,200 |
| Tommy Fleetwood |
$10,300 |
$11,600 |
Bay Hill has been a good course for Rory McIlroy over the years. He’s recorded six top 10 finishes or better in 11 trips, including a T15 finish in 2025.
McIlroy’s driving distance remains the benchmark for success on the PGA Tour. He’s also improved his irons, which should provide a big boost for his birdie production.
McIlroy ranks second in total strokes gained, including first in SG: Approach, seventh for greens in regulation hit, and ninth in proximity. While Scheffler has multiple wins at Bay Hill, McIlroy is the cheaper option and has outplayed everyone on the PGA Tour on approach this season.
Tommy Fleetwood is the other Tier 1 golfer I’m targeting this week. The Englishman has had strong putting and driving accuracy, although his irons have left much to be desired.
Fleetwood has a pair of T10 finishes in two events played on the PGA Tour this season. He’s coming off a T11 finish at Bay Hill in 2025.
Notable metrics include fifth in total strokes gained, 31st in SG: Off-the-Tee, second in scrambling, and fifth in putting average. If Fleetwood can tune up his irons a bit, he’ll be in contention on Sunday. If he doesn’t, we’re still likely to get a top 10 finish, justifying his expensive salary.
TIER 2
| Golfer |
DK $ |
FD $ |
| Jake Knapp |
$8,600 |
$9,700 |
| Kurt Kitayama |
$8,200 |
$9,600 |
Jake Knapp has been impressive in 2026. Although he logged a T57 finish during his Bay Hill debut in 2024, Knapp has T11 finishes or better in all five events this season.
Knapp ranks third in total strokes gained. This includes 26th in SG: Off-the-Tee, 37th in SG: Approach, and fourth in SG: Putting. He’s also eighth in driving distance, which bodes well for Bay Hill’s design.
As a result of his play, Knapp is 12th in putts per round, fifth in scoring average, and 19th in par-4 scoring. Plug him into lineups with confidence this week.
Kurt Kitayama won the 2023 Arnold Palmer Invitational, so he’s automatically in my crosshairs at this event. The NorCal native just logged a T2 finish at The Genesis Invitational, which was also a Signature Event field.
In 2026, Kitayama ranks 19th in SG: Approach and 25th in SG: Off-the-Tee. He’s also sixth at finding greens in regulation, 27th in proximity, and 10th in scrambling.
Putting is the main weakness, yet Kitayama sits 22nd in scoring average and fourth for par-4 scoring. Let’s back Kitayama as our other Tier 2 option at Bay Hill.
TIER 3
| Golfer |
DK $ |
FD $ |
| Aldrich Potgieter |
$6,500 |
$7,100 |
| Tom Hoge |
$6,300 |
$6,500 |
Aldrich Potgieter will try to make the cut in his second outing at Bay Hill after missing it at +8 in 2025. The South African is a power hitter off-the-tee, ranked third in driving distance and 54th on approach shots from 200+ yards.
Putting and short approach are areas of improvement. However, we just saw Potgieter end his four-event slump with a solo fifth-place finish at Riviera during The Genesis Invitational.
For a cheap salary, Potgieter stands out based on his strength off-the-tee. Let’s see if he can secure a second straight top 20 finish and make his first cut at Bay Hill with a week of rest and preparation.
Tom Hoge will be our final golfer to insert into DFS lineups for the 2026 Arnold Palmer Invitational. Hoge has been all over the place with his finishes this season, which include a T8 at The American Express and a T14 at Pebble Beach.
Hoge has a T15 and T12 finishes in seven trips to Bay Hill. In 2025, he logged a pedestrian T40 finish at +4.
So why Hoge? He’s ranked 47th in SG: Putting this season. Hoge is also top 10 in proximity and 28th for approach shots from 200+ yards.
His ability to get close to the hole and finish with quality putting makes Hoge a unique asset to insert into DFS lineups at a discounted rate in Orlando this week.
Matthew MacKay is a featured writer for BettingPros and FantasyPros. For more from Matthew, check out his archive and follow him @Matt_MacKay_.
