Wishful thinking
Sam Saunders would like to see his grandfather's Arnold Palmer Invitational grow instead of shrink in the future; Europe poises itself for historic three-peat.
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Hard to say if this was a case of tipping your hand or wishful thinking, but Sam Saunders wouldn’t mind seeing a few more players in future editions of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. The grandson of Arnold Palmer and vice president of partnerships for the signature event at Bay Hill Club, Saunders articulated a vision for the future of the limited-field signature event that currently includes only 72 players.
The PGA Tour is dealing with voluntary shrinkage that is not necessarily improving the product. And more “scarcity” as CEO Brian Rolapp referenced last year, might be in the offing as the Tour works on a potential new schedule for as early as 2027 but more likely 2028.
Saunders, a former Tour member, isn’t one to go rocking the boat, but he knows an opening when he sees it. Invitational tournaments such as the Arnold Palmer used to invite 120 players before Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods got the bright idea to turn some of the best Tour events into LIV Golf Lite by increasing purses and decreasing field spots.
“I would love to see more guys here. There’s so many great players,” Saunders said in response to a question about this week’s field. “It’s so hard to see some of the names that aren’t here sometimes. But I know the Tour has adapted and evolved to the times, and we try to be supportive and a team player as much as we possibly can. So I’m very optimistic and excited about the future and having more guys here, because at the end of the day there’s 100 guys that have cards on the PGA Tour ... that it has gotten so competitive and so difficult.
“One thing my grandfather loved was he wanted all the guys. He wanted as many guys as he could to come here and play his golf course and compete and have a real, honest, you know, meaningful competition, and whoever walks away as champion, it should mean a lot to ‘em. So, yeah, it would be really nice to see that evolve, and I’m very optimistic that we’ll get back to that place at some point.”
Is he hoping for that or counting on it?
