Arnold Palmer Invitational 2018: Thursday Tee Times, Live-Stream Schedule

The last time Tiger Woods appeared at the Arnold Palmer Invitational was back in 2013, when he won the tournament at Bay Hill in Orlando, Florida, for a remarkable eighth time.

Since then, the 14-time major winner has plummeted down the world rankings, undergone numerous surgeries and even neared a point where many feared he would never compete again, let alone win another title on the PGA Tour.

However, last Sunday at the Valspar Championship he was just a few feet away from completing a birdie-birdie finish and forcing a play-off with eventual champion Paul Casey, per the PGA Tour:

He finished in a tie for second, but four consecutive under-par rounds at Innisbrook and a genuine challenge deep into Sunday gave every indication that, perhaps, remarkably, Tiger is ready to win again.

The 42-year-old American has a staggering record in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, but he is part of an incredibly competitive field for the 2018 edition, which gets under way at Bay Hill on Thursday.

Woods will be playing alongside 2016 champion Jason Day and world No. 6 Hideki Matsuyama for the opening two rounds.

The full list of tee times can be found at PGATour.com, while the Golf Channel and PGA Tour Live streams can be found here. Live-streaming in the UK will be available via Sky Go.

Even without Woods there would be a huge amount of interest in this year's Arnold Palmer Invitational, especially with the Masters just three weeks away. 

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Australian Marc Leishman is back to defend his 2017 title—won by a shot to Kevin Kisner and Charley Hoffman—and he is in one of the most fascinating trios alongside Rory McIlroy and world No. 7 Rickie Fowler.

Bubba Watson, Justin Rose, Patrick Reed, Tommy Fleetwood, Tyrrell Hatton, Ernie Els and and Adam Scott are other big-name players who will be looking to triumph this week in Florida.

But there is little doubt that the star attraction is Woods.

Per ESPN's Darren Rovell, his impressive turn at the Valspar drew huge television audiences; proof, if it were needed, of his enduring value to the game of golf:

Should he be in contention again this Sunday, there will be similar levels of interest in the ongoing comeback story of the sport's biggest star.

It will be no cakewalk for Woods. His performance at the Valspar could prove to be a false dawn.

Meanwhile, the likes of McIlroy, Day, Leishman, Fleetwood and Rose will surely provide their own challenge at the top of the leaderboard. 

But given his previous glories at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Bay Hill could yet be the setting for Woods to return to winning ways once more.