For over two decades the Bay Hill Club & Lodge and Bay Hill Invitational have been under the control of Arnold Palmer and his family so it's only fitting that the event be named the Arnold Palmer Invitational in 2007. I'm happy for Mr. Palmer and he is thrilled as well.

It's been a matter of great pride for me when my name has been placed on an entity of one sort or another over the years," Palmer said Tuesday. "But I can't think of anything that brings me more pleasure and satisfaction than having it on the tournament that has meant so much to me for so long.

As mentioned, Arnold Palmer has had his great name associated with the club and event for many years. The association really took off in 1970 when Mr. Palmer and several partners assumed control of the Bay Hill Club. Then in 1976 Mr. Palmer purchased the Bay Hill Club & Lodge and has also been the winter home of the Palmers ever since. The tournament holds it's own aura as well dating back to 1966 as the Florida Citrus Open then switching to an invitational format in 1984.

Unlike last weeks Honda Classic the Bay Hill Invitational has not been as kind to first time winners. Only five players have made the Bay Hill their first win and second place isn't any easier. Past winners at Bay Hill include Mr. Palmer himself back in 1971 and multiple time winners Gary Koch, Tom Kite, Loren Roberts, and, of course, Tiger Woods with a record 4 consecutive wins. The late Payne Stewart won back in 1987 and still holds the tournament record of 264 and a tournament record-tying 62.

Unfortunately defending champion, Kenny Perry is unable to defend his title this week. Kenny has struggled this year, losing distance on drives, and underwent knee surgery this Monday to repair some torn ligaments. He will miss the next four to six weeks. This year's winner should learn from Kenny's win last year as he hit more than 80 percent of his fairways while averaging 287 yards off the tee. Kenny is known as a great ball striker and proved it by hitting over 80 percent of his greens in regulation and averaging under 30 putts as well.

Last year, Vijah Singh gave Kenny a run for the money but faltered on the 18th hole when his ball found the water, leaving him a runner-up for the third time in this event. Vijay is back in action this week after taking a much-needed break and I'm sure would love to make amends for his disappointment last year and finally put his name on this tournament's esteemed list of winners.

Naturally, you have to figure Tiger Woods will be in contention come Sunday, having won this event a record four consecutive times from 2000-2003. Tiger also comes in hot, winning three tournaments already this year. With eight of the top eleven players in the world in attendance I would normally say we can expect to see a great race from the Big Five, but other than Tiger they have yet to show.

This year's purse is $5 million with $900,000 going to the winner. The Bay Hill Invitational will be held at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida. From March 13 - March 19, 2006 it can be seen on USA and NBC plus heard on XM Radio on at the following times:

Thu, 3/16 3pm-6pm     ET  USA
Fri, 3/17 3pm-6pm     ET  USA
Sat, 3/18 2:30pm-6pm  ET  NBC
Sun, 3/19 2:30pm-6pm  ET  NBC

Thu, 3/16 12pm-6pm    ET  XM 146
Fri, 3/17 12pm-6pm    ET  XM 146
Sat, 3/18 12pm-6pm    ET  XM 146
Sun, 3/19 12pm-6pm    ET  XM 146

Photo Credit: © AP.

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Tiger Woods regained the top spot in the world two weeks ago and bested Phil Mickelson at Doral, the current world #2 couldn't convert from two feet, two-putting to finish second at the Honda Classic, and Ernie Els has won two tournaments in a row. The interesting thing about this week's Bay Hill Invitational may not be who wins, but who sits atop the World Golf Rankings when all is said and done: Woods, Singh, and Els all have a shot at it.

Woods would give up the top spot to Els or Singh if he finishes outside the top two and Els or Singh win. Of course, Tiger's record at the tournament is pretty good: Woods won Arnold Palmer's tournament four years running from 2000-2003 before his streak was halted last year. In 2004, Chad Campbell blazed his way to a six-stroke victory, firing a Sunday 66 to erase a four-stroke deficit. Campbell clunked his way to a third-round 80 last week, but has been playing well and looks to put up a good defense of his title.

There are, naturally, a few other scenarios whereby Woods could lose his spot at the top. If Vijay Singh finishes no lower than a tie for fourth with one player, he's got a shot. Els must finish at least T2 with no more than one other player to take the spot. Both scenarios, naturally, are predicated upon a very un-Tiger-like performance from Mr. Woods himself, and are quite unlikely.

Everyone else in the field will be playing for a $5 million purse, the winner's share of which is a cool $900,000. The event was first held in 1966, and Lionel Hebert took home a whopping $21,000 for his victory at Rio Pinar Country Club. The event moved to the current venue - a Dick Wilson/Joe LEe designed Bay Hill Club and Lodge - 27 years ago. The course measures 7,239 yards and plays to a par 72. Arnold Palmer redesigned the course himself in 1989, and regularly hops on a mechanical hoe or shovel to sculpt and maintain the course. When players talk about coming to Arnie's home, they mean it.

In fact, Bay Hill is one of most player's favorite stops on the PGA Tour. Bay Hill, which sweeps across 265 acres along the shores of the Butler Chain of Lakes, is routinely rated in the top 100 courses in America. The course is vintage Palmer: wide fairways and a good amount of length that beg players to blast away with their drivers, risk/reward holes aplenty, multiple rows of bunkers, and large greens. Bay Hill is, in short, a course on which Arnold would have dominated in his day. It's no wonder Tiger Woods does well here.

It is a wonder why Phil Mickelson chose not to play well. Mickelson is sticking to his master plan (or is that "Masters plan"?) and the new routine he came up with to compete in the majors. It worked last year, as Phil captured the Masters and contended in each of the other majors. The current world #4, Mickelson last played at Arnie's place in 2002, finishing T3. He finished 2nd in 2001 and T46 in 2000.

Woods, a Florida resident, has played well in the state, winning eight times: four times at Bay Hill, two at Walt Disney World, the 2001 Players Championship, and the 2005 Ford Championship at Doral. His 1991 US Junior Championship victory also came at Bay Hill. The home field advantage plays into the hands of all Americans, as the only non-American to win the event was Ernie Els in 1998.

You can catch the Bay Hill Invitational on TV at these times:

Thu    3:00-6 pm ET       USA
Fri    3:00-6 pm ET       USA
Sat    3:00-6 pm ET       NBC
Sun    2:30-6 pm ET       NBC

Photo Credit: © Getty Images.

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