Rickie Fowler is very well-positioned after two rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational and he still has a chance of winning at Bay Hill this week.
Fowler has shot back-to-back 69s during the first two rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational, and he heads into the weekend at Bay Hill sitting in sixth position, seven shots adrift of the leader, Daniel Berger.
Due to the impact that Arnold Palmer had on the game, his tournament at Bay Hill is always one that the best players in the world are desperate to win.
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The PGA Tour's best players will be in action at Bay Hill…
Fowler has shown big signs of improvement recently, after struggling continually with injuries during the 2025 PGA Tour season.
The popular American is desperate to return to his former glories after spending way too long in the golfing wilderness.
And who knows, his next win may well not be too far away, given how he’s played during the first two rounds of the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Rickie Fowler recalls painful experience with Arnold Palmer
Fowler has missed the Arnold Palmer Invitational just twice in his career – in 2016 and 2025.
The six-time PGA Tour winner was asked how tough it was to inform Mr Palmer that he would be missing the tournament at Bay Hill 10 years ago.
“Yeah, it was definitely tough,“ Fowler said.
“But, you know, it was what I thought was best for schedule and for me personally. I have to give credit to my old agent Sam, it was his idea. He’s like, you should go do it face-to-face.
“So we drove up here and had lunch with him. It was probably one of the hardest things I had to do. Felt like worse than a breakup, you know, to come up here and tell him that.
“It wasn’t — he wasn’t too excited. But obviously him being a player he understood and respected that I came here and told him.
“So it was special to have the relationship that I did with him and to be in a position now where we continue to do stuff to help out the foundation and do our little part to help continue on that legacy.“
What winning at Bay Hill would mean to Rickie Fowler
After his second round on Friday, Fowler was asked how much winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational would mean to him.
“Yeah, this is, this would be very high on the list,“ the 37-year-old American admitted.
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“It would be a lot more special being able to get that red sweater from Arnie himself. But, no, this has always been one of my favorite events.
“We’ve played it, I think I missed it last year and missed it once before. I won a junior event back here in the day, an AJGA event.
“We’ve had chances and played well here before.
“But, yeah, this is a special one, especially with, one, the field, but the golf course, the test, it’s a grind and the guys that win here and have success here, you can’t fake it around this place, you have to earn it.“
Fowler will have to make up seven shots on the leader, Daniel Berger, over the weekend if he is to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
However, he’s certainly playing well enough to make that happen.
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