Biggest Storylines in Golf Ahead of the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill

Fresh off the most exciting tournament of the PGA Tour season thus far, the best golfers in the world head to Bay Hill for the Arnold Palmer Invitational this week. 

Jordan Spieth's playoff triumph, of course, has dominated headlines heading into the event. But there are other stories of note circulating in the Orlando air as the tournament gets underway. One of them even concerns the tournament host, Mr. Palmer. 

What are the biggest storylines in golf at the moment?

Read on to find out. 

On the Heels of the 'Tournament of the Year'

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The golf world in general, and the PGA Tour in particular, are abuzz after the thrilling Valspar Championship. 

The late-Sunday drama that led up to the three-man playoff featuring young stars Jordan Spieth, Patrick Reed and former young star Sean O’Hair was widely watched. As Geoff Shackelford noted, "Sunday’s final round on NBC posted a 2.41 overnight rating – up 31 percent from last year’s broadcast (1.84)."

Kyle Porter of CBS Sports wrote of the final round: "The two best American golfers under 30 trading clutch putts and scrambling wildly for two hours? Yes, I will watch that instead of the NCAA Selection Show."

So will lot of golf fans it seems. 

Rory McIlroy Finally Showing Up at Bay Hill

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EA Sports' new coverboy, Rory McIlroy, is finally making the trip to Arnie's place. Thus, the golf legend won't have to break the boy wonder's arm, as he jokingly threatened to do in 2012 if McIlroy continued to skip his event.  

McIlroy enters the tournament two weeks removed from a T9 finish at the Honda Classic—a disappointing overall effort that included a bevy of loose shots and one club tossed into a water hazard. 

A strong showing this week, and McIlroy will head to the Masters in a couple of weeks as the presumptive favorite to capture the green jacket and the career grand slam. If he struggles, however, he'll enter Augusta amid a disturbing trend of substandard play.

All eyes will be on the 25-year-old Ulsterman this week. 

Tiger Woods Continues to Tune His Game...at Home

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Tiger Woods isn't in the field this week at Bay Hill, an event he once won four years in a row (2000-2003)

"I've put in a lot of time and work on my game and I'm making strides, but like I've said, I won't return to the PGA Tour until my game is tournament ready and I can compete at the highest level. I hope to be ready for the Masters, and I will continue to work hard preparing for Augusta" Woods said in a statement announcing he'd miss the event. 

Woods, of course, has not played well this year. He finished dead last at his event, the Hero World Challenge, missed the cut at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and withdrew with back issues at the Famers Insurance Open. He hasn't played since the beginning of February when he announced a break from competitive golf to get his game in tournament shape. 

The former world No. 1's absence will help at one of the courses he has owned in his career. Will he play in the Masters? You have to think so. What condition will his game be in? Who knows, and speculation about the answer to that question is rampant. 

Peaking for the Masters

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When the Arnold Palmer Invitational wraps up, the Masters will be a mere three weeks away. Those who have ambitions of "peaking" for the Masters will surely want to have found their games by the time the final putt is holed in Orlando. 

Several players are already looking good as we near the first major of the season. Among them: Bubba Watson, Jordan Spieth, Dustin Johnson, Henrik Stenson, Patrick Reed, Jimmy Walker and Jason Day. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Rory McIlroy, Billy Horschel, Martin Kaymer, Keegan Bradley, Justin Rose (and many others). 

Who's trending upward and who's not is a key storyline and will be in the weeks ahead. 

Arnie Will Play Through Pain to Hit Masters Tee Shot

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Here's a story that's circulating regarding the Arnold Palmer Invitational's namesake: Arnie will hit one of the ceremonial tee shots at the Masters this year despite suffering from a dislocated shoulder. 

The 85-year-old legend reportedly hasn't swung a club since injuring the shoulder in a fall in December. And his doctors haven't cleared him to take any swings. Still, if you think that's going to keep the King from hitting at Augusta, you're crazy.

“Oh yeah, I plan on it. I haven’t (been practicing). I’m not allowed to swing yet. ... I will whatever," Palmer said, according to Scott Michaux of the Augusta Chronicle. 

Long live the King!