Next week’s Arnold Palmer Invitational is set to showcase a star-studded field of 72 players, but two of the most well-known names in golf—Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler—won’t be making an appearance. Instead of them, the tournament’s four coveted sponsor exemptions have gone to Rafael Campos, Justin Rose, Min Woo Lee, and Mackenzie Hughes.
For Spieth, missing Bay Hill stings a little extra. “I’m bummed not to be there next week,” he admitted. “It’s been a great, great place for me, and I really wish I was getting that start, but I needed to play better injured golf last year, I guess.”
Last season, Spieth was battling a nagging wrist injury that ultimately led to surgery in August. He pushed through the pain but failed to make it to the Tour Championship, managing just three top-10 finishes. The injury forced him to sit out over five months, and he finally made his return to the PGA Tour at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am in early February.
His comeback had its ups and downs. At Pebble Beach, he tied for 69th, but he quickly found his rhythm with a solid T-4 finish at the WM Phoenix Open. The momentum didn’t last long, though, as he missed the cut at the Genesis Invitational. However, he bounced back yet again at the Cognizant Classic, finishing tied for ninth.
Despite his recent progress, Spieth finds himself watching one of his favorite events from the sidelines. There was still a slim chance he could have played his way in—if he had finished just a little higher last week, he might have sneaked into the Arnold Palmer Invitational via the Aon Swing 5 rankings. Winning would have sealed his spot outright, marking his first victory since the 2022 RBC Heritage. Instead, one costly mistake at the Cognizant Classic likely kept him out of the mix.
That moment came on the par-3 17th, where Spieth’s tee shot found the water. Forced to re-hit from the drop zone, he then three-putted from 20 feet, turning a promising round into a triple bogey six. Ultimately, he finished five strokes behind winner Joe Highsmith. Without that one misstep, he could have been a real contender—and perhaps even earned his invitation to Bay Hill.
For now, though, Spieth is taking this unplanned break as an opportunity to rest and recharge. His next stop? The Players Championship, which tees off on March 13. He also plans to play in the Valspar Championship in Tampa the following week.
“I feel like I’m trending in the right direction,” Spieth said, staying optimistic. “I feel like I played better [this week] than I did in Phoenix. Phoenix is a better fit for me, I think, maybe. I just throw out Torrey Pines because I did what I always do there. It’s really not a great judge on where I’m at.”
Even though he isn’t at full strength yet, Spieth sees plenty of positives in his game. “I really do feel like I’m playing good golf at about 60 percent of the control tee to green that I’m capable of doing,” he explained. “Still able to come to a very challenging golf course, hit nice shots, and shoot under-par rounds. I’m one swing away on Friday from having a chance to win, and that was a 9-iron, which is just a 1-in-100 kind of chunk.”
The good news is that his wrist is holding up well, and taking a week off might actually be a blessing in disguise. “It’s been pretty good this week,” Spieth noted. “It’s been pretty much the same every morning when I wake up. It’s just minorly maybe getting a little bit better as it’s getting warmer, but it’s very slowly. By the time I start hitting, everything is okay, and I’m not thinking about it much at all on the golf course, which is really the goal.”
While his wrist isn’t completely back to normal, Spieth isn’t too concerned. “It’s strange. It doesn’t feel unstable like last year; it’s just simply beating it up. It’s just the scar tissue and some of the inflammation.”
For now, he’ll have to watch the Arnold Palmer Invitational from home, but given his recent form, it’s only a matter of time before he’s back in the winner’s circle. His focus is on staying healthy, sharpening his game, and making a strong push as the season progresses. One thing’s for sure—when Spieth does return to Bay Hill, he’ll be more determined than ever.
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