The Arnold Palmer Invitational is just around the corner, as the PGA Tour’s biggest names gather at Bay Hill for the second Signature Event of the season this week.
This is where the golf season really begins. The Arnold Palmer Invitational has historically been a great golf tournament to watch due to how difficult the course can play.
The average score over the past six editions of the tournament is 9.16-under-par.
Who do you think wins the API this week?
The PGA Tour's best players will be in action at Bay Hill…
Bay Hill was the fourth most difficult non-major venue on the PGA Tour in 2025, with the field averaging a score of 72.577 throughout the week.
When the wind gets up and the golf course starts playing firm and fast, there are not many more stringent tests in the game than Arnie’s place.
It’s why some of the greatest golfers of all time have enjoyed so much success at Bay Hill, including the likes of Tiger Woods and Scottie Scheffler.
So, given the incredibly difficult challenge presented by the golf course at Bay Hill, it was fascinating to see how a very well-known plus-two handicap amateur golfer got on when he was given the chance to play there recently.
What a plus-two handicapper shot at Bay Hill ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational
Peter Finch is a huge name in the YouTube golfing world.
The Englishman’s current handicap is plus-two according to the YouTube Handicap Tracker.
He played Bay Hill in mid-January as part of his ‘Can I Break Par’ series.
And Finch played some very solid golf.
While he didn’t play from the very back tees, he still impressed by shooting a round of two-over-par 74 around the challenging layout.
Finch compiled his round of 74 at Bay Hill with four bogeys, a double bogey, four birdies and nine pars.
It would have been interesting to see what Finch shot if he played Bay Hill from the very back tees.
Lowest 18-hole scores at Bay Hill in Arnold Palmer Invitational history
Adam Scott holds the course record at Bay Hill and he has done for 12 years now.
He posted a scintillating 10-under-par 62 in 2014.
The golf course changed from a par 71 to a par 72 in 1990. Here are the best five scores of all time at Bay Hill:
| Player | Score | To Par | Year | Round |
| Adam Scott | 62 | -10 | 2014 | 1st |
| Andy Bean | 62 | -9 | 1981 | 2nd |
| Greg Norman | 62 | -9 | 1984 | 2nd |
| Gary Koch | 63 | -8 | 1984 | 4th |
| Payne Stewart | 63 | -8 | 1987 | 3rd |
If the golf course is playing hard and fast this year, nobody will get close to breaking the course record at Bay Hill.
It will be a fascinating watch, regardless of the conditions.
Who do you think will win this year? Tell us your pick on TalkingPoints in the comments above.
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