Upcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational dates
Dates and live ticket listings appear here as soon as they are on sale. The guide below covers what to know before you buy.
What the Arnold Palmer Invitational is
The Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard is a PGA Tour event played every March at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, a private club in the Bay Hill community southwest of downtown Orlando, Florida. The 2027 tournament week runs March 15 to 21, with the four competitive rounds Thursday through Sunday. Since 2024 it has been one of the PGA Tour's signature events, a tier of tournaments with smaller fields and larger purses, and its field has numbered about 69 players with a purse of 20 million dollars.
The tournament traces back to the Florida Citrus Open Invitational, first played in 1966 at Rio Pinar Country Club, which Palmer won in 1971. It moved to Bay Hill in 1979, five years after Palmer bought the club. He owned it until his death in 2016, and his daughter Amy and son-in-law Roy Saunders own it today.
Proceeds support the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, and the tournament still describes its fan base as Arnie's Army.
Ticket types and how demand behaves
The tournament sells tickets directly, with Ticketmaster handling account management, and the structure is simpler than at golf's majors:
- Grounds tickets. General admission for Tuesday through Sunday, letting you walk every hole and follow any group. For 2027, youth 15 and under get free grounds access with a ticketed adult.
- Practice rounds. Tuesday and Wednesday tickets are the least in demand and the easiest days to see players up close, with a free junior clinic on Monday of tournament week.
- Hospitality venues. For 2027 the options include the Mastercard Palmer Patio at the 14th hole, the all-inclusive Orange Grove with clubhouse access, The Lakehouse between the 16th and 17th holes and the Michelob ULTRA Fan Deck.
- Military and first responders. The tournament offers complimentary tickets for active-duty and reserve military, discounted tickets for veterans and first-responder discounts through verification.
Demand climbs through the week. Saturday and Sunday, when the leaders are in contention, draw the largest crowds and the strongest resale market, and a leaderboard with the game's biggest names pushes it further. Thursday and Friday give the full field on the course and more room to move.
Where to watch at Bay Hill
Golf has no assigned seats outside hospitality, so where you stand is the decision. Bay Hill's finish is the place to build your day around.
- The closing holes. Several hospitality venues sit along the 14th through 17th holes, the stretch where Sunday's leaders make their final moves. Claim a spot early on weekends.
- The 18th green. The finishing hole is where the trophy and the red cardigan are presented, and where the general-parking shuttle returns from, so it is a natural last stop.
- Walking with a group. On Thursday and Friday, following one group for several holes gives a better feel for the course than standing at a single green.
- Practice areas. On practice days, the range and putting green are the best places to see a large share of the field in a short time.
The official course map shows grandstands, concessions and fan features for the current year.
Parking, shuttles and getting in
Most spectators do not park at the course. For the 2027 tournament:
- General parking is at Universal Orlando on Universal Boulevard, paid on arrival, with a complimentary shuttle to the course. Shuttles start at 7:15 a.m. on Thursday and Friday and 8:15 a.m. on the weekend, with continuous return service from near the 18th hole.
- Premium on-site parking at Bay Hill is sold Thursday through Sunday and is expected to sell out.
- Rideshare uses a designated pickup and drop-off at Lot 8 through Gate C.
- Accessible parking is at Lot 10 on Tuesday and Wednesday and at Universal Orlando, with a shuttle, Thursday through Sunday.
Phones are allowed, unlike at the Masters. As of the 2027 tournament, devices must be silenced with the flash off, texting and data are permitted throughout, calls are limited to designated areas, and photos and video are for personal use only, with no live streaming. A tournament bag policy applies. Check the policies page for current rules before you go.
Champions and the red cardigan
Bay Hill has produced some of the most dominant records in golf. Tiger Woods won the tournament eight times: 2000 to 2003, 2008, 2009, 2012 and 2013. Since 2017, the year after Palmer's death, the winner has received a red cardigan in his memory.
Recent winners:
- 2020: Tyrrell Hatton
- 2021: Bryson DeChambeau
- 2022: Scottie Scheffler
- 2023: Kurt Kitayama
- 2024: Scottie Scheffler
- 2025: Russell Henley
- 2026: Akshay Bhatia
The course
Bay Hill's original 18 holes were designed by Dick Wilson and built by Bob Simmons in 1961; Simmons later added a third nine. The club covers about 270 acres between the Bay Hill neighborhood and the Butler Chain of Lakes, and the tournament plays as a par 72 of 7,466 yards.
Wilson raised many greens slightly above the fairways for visibility and drainage. For spectators, standing behind a raised green is a good way to watch approach shots land. The course is private, open only to members and registered Lodge guests outside tournament week, so the Invitational is the main chance for most fans to walk it.
Frequently asked questions
When is the 2027 Arnold Palmer Invitational?
The tournament lists the 2027 week as March 15 to 21 at Bay Hill Club & Lodge, with competitive rounds Thursday through Sunday.
Can kids attend for free?
For 2027, youth 15 and under receive complimentary grounds access when accompanied by a ticketed adult.
Where do I park for the Arnold Palmer Invitational?
General parking is at Universal Orlando with a free shuttle to the course. Premium on-site parking is sold separately and tends to sell out.
Are phones allowed?
Yes. Phones must be silenced, texting and data are allowed, and calls are limited to designated areas, as of the 2027 policy.
Who has won the most Arnold Palmer Invitationals?
Tiger Woods has won it eight times, the record.