2021 Arnold Palmer Invitational: Top 10 power rankings at Bay Hill

Louis Oosthuizen is a prototypical type of player who I would never tip to win, but he can often get you good value in daily fantasy and head-to-head matchups.

The 2010 Open Champion and major championship runner-up grand slam possessor has famously never won in the United States. In fact, he hasn’t even won on the European Tour since he won the South African Open late in 2018.

Yet, he’s hardly fallen outside the top 50 in the world rankings since arriving there over a decade ago. His consistent, rhythmic like swing is set back only by, at least a perceived, lack of apathy or competitive drive to beat up on the field.

There’s clearly no moment too big for him, but maybe he’s not making them big enough, either.

I have no reason to believe Oosthuizen can’t get over the hump this week. Especially with the top five players in the world all at home.

If the wind picks up, scrambling’s going to be important around Bay Hill. He’s 17th on the PGA Tour in strokes gained around the green (.464) and third in SG putting (1.111). Oosthuizen is also a good player on approach from the rough.

He’s making his fifth Arnold Palmer Invitational appearance. King Louis missed the cut his last two times in 2018 and 2019 but played well in 2015 (T-9th) and 2017 (T-28th).

If he plays it, the API is usually one of Oosthuizen’s first events of the year in America after coming over from the European Tour. He’s stuck to a PGA Tour-only schedule in 2021, so that could be an advantage in being prepared to take on a tough track like Bay Hill.

The 38 year old may show us inspired golf after his friend and countryman, Branden Grace, won in thrilling fashion last week at the Puerto Rico Open.