Jordan Spieth has made thoughts clear on Arnold Palmer Invitational before snub

Jordan Spieth’s omission from the prestigious Arnold Palmer Invitational will likely have been tough to take for the three-time major champion. The injury-plagued former world No.1 has slipped down the golf rankings to 70th.
Spieth underwent left wrist surgery in August following an issue that arose back in May 2023. He is now determined to climb back up the rankings and has made the cut at the Cognizant Classic in Florida. With his sights set on the Masters, he would undoubtedly have been keen to feature at Bay Hill in the Palmer Invitational. However, the 70-player field did not include him, a clear indication of the challenges he now faces to regain past glories. Revering the late golfing great, Spieth has cherished memories tied to the tournament and Palmer’s legacy.

On returning to Augusta after his 2015 Masters win, Spieth was honoured to see himself in the Champions Lockers Room. He told Golfweek magazine at the time: “I walked up to see who I was with. And I share a locker with Arnold Palmer. So it was a very special moment there.”
Before his first appearance at the Palmer Invitational in 2021, the sight of Palmer’s office left him in wonder as he recalled: “My [Masters] dinner was the last he was there. Each Masters champion went around telling a story about Arnold Palmer while he was there, and he was tearing up. It was so special.”

He also expressed his desire to honour the golfing great, adding: “I’d love to get a pair of his shoes just to keep in there [his Masters locker].” Upon signing the visitors’ guest book, Spieth then humbly remarked: “I don’t feel worthy. It’s amazing to get a glimpse of what was important to him. It’s a perfect office.” Another big name, Rickie Fowler, has also missed out on the Palmer Invitational. Palmer’s grandson and tournament organiser, Sam Saunders, has stressed how tough it was to pick the field.

“At the end of the day, it’s who’s getting the ball in the hole the fastest that are the ones who get the opportunities,” Saunders told Golfweek. “You can’t make everybody happy with exemptions. So you try to just do it as fair and balanced as possible.” Saunders blamed the PGA Tour for restricting the field, adding: “It genuinely kills us. But you know what kills us more? Only having 70 players to pick from. So, if you want to write something, it should be on the fact that there’s only 70 players. And when you have these limited fields that the Tour has created, it really limits who can be in it.”