Bryson’s Bay Hill Bailout — Will Rory And Rahm Make Up For It?

So whiney Bryson DeChambeau took to social media on Monday and bailed on the Arnold Palmer Invitational.  The defending champion claimed he was only  90 percent and was afraid he might hurt himself if he showed up to defend at Arnie’s Place.

Boo-Hoo, Bryson.

He says he’ll be there for The Players — not sure a week can produce that other “ten percent” but Bryson seems to think it will.  What this tells us is that this DeChambeau injury deal is probably more serious than anyone was led to believe.  We haven’t seen much of The Mad Scientist this season.  He tied for 25th at the Tournament of Champions — a course made for bombers.  Mr. Long Ball missed the cut at The Farmers — rounds of 70-72 (two-under) left him a birdie short of the cut.

After that, hip and wrist issues had him in rehab.

Surely he had enough time to prepare for this week, but alas, he was “only” 90 percent.  Makes one wonder how many times Arnold Palmer showed up and teed it up in his career when he was 90 percent?  If Arnie was 90 percent — he was playing.

So that leaves things up to the other high profile guys in the field and there are a few, including world No. 1 Jon Rahm.  Bay Hill should be Rahmbo’s kinda course but he hasn’t won since the U.S. Open last summer.  Viktor Hovland has climbed to No. 4 and he should play well at Bay Hill, given his ball-striking talent.  It’s a great track for bombers and Rory McIlroy certainly fits that billing.  Rory’s in town and checks in at No. 5.

Scottie Scheffler is now a Tour winner and Arnold’s Place should fit his game.  Scottie’s now No. 6.

Hideki Matsuyama has fallen out of the top 10 but at No. 11, he’s still ahead of DeChambeau, who has tumbled all the way to 12th in the latest rankings.  Tough to move up when you don’t play — or as they say in the NFL — you can’t make the club when you’re in the tub.

The pre-tournament report says that this year, the rough is particularly juicy.  Deep enough where your shoes won’t show if you ball ends up in that stuff.

But to date there have been some surprise guys in the winner’s circle — Hudson Swafford, Luke List, Tom Hoge, Joaquin Niemann and Sepp Straka last week at the Honda.

Hideki, Scottie and Cam Smith are the better-known winners.

So who will don that wonderful red Arnold Palmer cardigan on Sunday?

One things for sure — it won’t be Bryson.

Puerto Rico For “All You Others”:

With the Arnold Palmer Invitational falling into that elite, 120-player field, the PGA Tour has to have a place for what football coaches used to refer to as “All You Others” — meaning guys who weren’t starters.

The Puerto Rico Open is their place and the Grand Reserve Golf Club in Rio Grande is the venue.

Last year it was Branden Grace who put on a heckuva charge down the stretch — he holed out at the 17th for eagle then birdied the par five 18th to edge Jhonny Vegas by a shot.

It was Grace’s first win since the 2016 Heritage.  Grayson Murray and local favorite Rafael Campos tied for third.