2022 Arnold Palmer Invitational: Top 10 power rankings at Bay Hill

Without fully investigating, I’d have to imagine this is the biggest PGA Tour event Jon Rahm has never played, no?

If not, it’s up there.

The big Spaniard is making his Arnold Palmer Invitational debut.

As we all know, he’s capable of lighting it up at any course in the world. His consistency is off the charts and his world No. 1 ranking is no fluke. That’s even considering he should probably win at a bit of a higher clip on the PGA Tour than what he’s shown.

The 27-year-old is a good course fit for Bay Hill because he’s got the ball striking to get around efficiently just like Arnie would want. Rahm’s first on the PGA Tour in strokes gained off the tee (1.227) and fifth in SG approach (.919).

The Arizona State grad is also 10th in par-5 scoring (4.4) and eighth in birdie or better percentage (28.28%).

The key this week will be hitting enough fairways to be able to attack. If he’s in the short grass, he can take it real low here. If he’s hitting into hazards either off the tee or on approach and tempers are flaring, this could be a rare missed cut for Rahmbo.

Fortunately for Rahm, this year’s field isn’t one of its best.

He’s also in solid form. Rahm posted his fifth straight top-25 a couple weeks ago at the Genesis Invitational. He and Cameron Smith fired record low scores at the Sentry Tournament of Champions to finish second and first at Kapalua. Rahm was also T-3rd at the Farmers Insurance Open.

He’s surprisingly never won an event in Florida, so this would be another feather in the cap of an already prodigious career.