Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau has withdrawn from the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard due to injury.
Hip and hand injuries have forced DeChambeau to withdraw from multiple events in 2022. He has not completed 72 holes since the Sentry Tournament of Champions in the first week of January. He last competed on the PGA TOUR at the Farmers Insurance Open, missing the cut while visibly in pain. He also withdrew from The Genesis Invitational before the tournament began. He withdraws from the Saudi International too.
He had hoped to return to Bay Hill to defend the title he won last year in exciting fashion, but he confirmed Monday in a video posted on social media that he is unable to play.
An update on API. pic.twitter.com/fX0OgY7xF4
— Bryson DeChambeau (@b_dechambeau) February 28, 2022
“I’ve been working hard on my game and working hard on my recovery,” DeChambeau said in a video posted to social media. “Man, tough decision right now. I have a lot of work to do to get everything back into order for this week. I just feel like it’s too short a time for me to get back to … playing at 100% capacity. Right now, I’m like 90%. I don’t want to go out there and hurt myself even more and not be 100% ready for the rest of the season. I don’t want to come back early and then have to take more time off, so it’s a hard decision I have to make right now.
“I want to thank the Palmer family and all they’ve done. They’ve been a tremendous support to me in my professional golf career. At this current point and time, I have to take another week off and I’m going to try and get back to play for THE PLAYERS. As of right now, I just can’t risk it, going out there and having it re-aggravate. … This has been one of the hardest moments in my life … because I’m not able to do much. Although I can hit some golf balls, it’s not comfortable. It’s not fully comfortable.”
DeChambeau’s drives on the par-5 sixth hole in the final two rounds of last year’s Arnold Palmer Invitational went viral as he cut the corner on the par-5 sixth hole that wraps around a lake, leaving him less than 90 yards for his second shot each day. After making birdie on No. 6 in the final round, he closed with 12 consecutive pars to win by one shot over Lee Westwood.
“The thrill of the drive on No. 6 was one of the highlights … of my career,” DeChambeau said earlier this year. “The energy from the fans, the positive support I received from having some fun on that hole was really special to me.
“Winning Mr. Palmer’s tournament was such an honor for me as I’ve loved and respected Mr. Palmer for so many years. He was and still is an idol of mine today.”
