Tiger Woods has ruled out his entry for the Arnold Palmer Invitational despite a lifetime exemption. Both Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth will also miss the event due to poor form. Organizer Sam Saunders discussed the difficulties faced in selecting players for limited fields, emphasizing the focus on fair representation in golf tournaments.
Tiger Woods has decided not to participate in next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational (API) at Bay Hill, despite holding a lifetime exemption for all PGA Tour Signature Events. His absence joins that of several notable players in Orlando for this third Signature Event of the season. Despite limited playing time in recent years, Woods retains his exemption, allowing him to enter tournaments with prize purses reaching $20 million, including the API.
Woods withdrew from February’s Genesis Invitational, where he was set to compete as the tournament host, citing the recent death of his mother, Kultida. For some time, Woods has been competing on a part-time basis due to various injuries. Although there was anticipation for his return at Bay Hill on March 6, Woods opted not to utilize his exemption this time.
Notably absent from the entry list are Rickie Fowler and Jordan Spieth, both of whom have struggled to regain their best form over the past year. Their poor performances have led to the loss of their eligibility to participate in Signature Events, marking a significant setback for these prominent players in professional golf.
Sam Saunders, Arnold Palmer’s grandson and an organizer for the invites, expressed his thoughts on the exclusion of Fowler and Spieth. He remarked, “What our team did was try to pick players that, you know, it’s about protecting and growing the game of golf as a whole. And doing what’s the most balanced and fair process,” as reported by Golfweek. He continued reflecting on the challenging selection process within the limited field size, stating, “Honestly, I think there was a lot of thought put into each and every player that was selected.”
Saunders noted the constraints of selecting from a limited pool of 70 players, which complicated the process further. He emphasized that the limited field rules were not created by his team, yet they strive to make optimal decisions for the sport’s well-being. The tournament will extend invitations to players such as Min Woo Lee, Justin Rose, Mackenzie Hughes, and Rafa Campos instead.
In summary, Tiger Woods will not participate in the upcoming Arnold Palmer Invitational, despite his lifetime exemption. He is joined by Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler, who were unable to qualify due to inconsistent performances. The selection process highlighted the challenges of adhering to limited field size, prompting further discussion on balancing fairness within the tournament invitations. Moving forward, the tournament organizers are set to extend invitations to other players.
Original Source: www.mirror.co.uk
