Arnold Palmer Invitational 2019: Rafa Cabrera Bello Leads After Round 1
March 7, 2019
Rafa Cabrera Bello fired a seven-under 65 on Thursday to earn a first-round lead at the 2019 Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Club and Lodge in Orlando, Florida.
Cabrera Bello, a three-time winner on the European Tour who's seeking his first PGA Tour victory, carded eight birdies and a single bogey in Round 1. He's two shots clear of his closest competition, Keegan Bradley, who stands alone in second at five under.
The tournament is missing some major star power after Tiger Woods dropped out Monday because of a neck strain and Jason Day withdrew early in the opening round with a back injury.
Cabrera Bello is making his first career start in the Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the PGA Tour's marquee tuneup events before the Masters Tournament next month. He's playing the first two rounds with Kevin Streelman and Palmer's grandson, Sam Saunders, who joked about the Spaniard's memorable debut.
"He's the perfect case of ignorance is bliss," Saunders told reporters. "He doesn't know how hard this golf course is supposed to be. He made it look awfully easy today."
Cabrera Bello added: "I'm really happy to be playing here for the first time, and then to win an event that has pretty much the name of one of the greatest players on earth would be really, really special. ... But I don't know if I should remind you it's only Thursday."
The 34th-ranked golfer in the world last won at the European Tour's Scottish Open with a birdie on the first extra hole in July 2017.
Last September, Bradley ended a far longer title drought when he picked up his first victory since the WGC Invitational in August 2012 at the BMW Championship playoff event.
The 32-year-old American, who captured the 2011 PGA Championship in his first major start, picked up his second top-10 finish of the season in his last event, the Mexico Championship. His strong form carried into Thursday as he rolled in five birdies on a clean card.
Graeme McDowell (-4), Bubba Watson (-4), Phil Mickelson (-4), Francesco Molinari (-3) and Tommy Fleetwood (-3) are among the other notable names near the top of the leaderboard after 18 holes.
Here's a look at some of the day's best highlights, including a hole-in-one from D.A. Points:
The second round at Bay Hill is scheduled to begin at 6:45 a.m. ET on Friday morning. Live television coverage begins at 2 p.m. ET on Golf Channel.