The Arnold Palmer Invitational starts tomorrow and there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this year’s event. The one reason that most people are excited about, though, is that Tiger Woods is once again playing in the tournament. Right now, Tiger is playing at the top of his game and may be competing at the highest level of any athlete ever. I’ll be shocked if he doesn’t win or at least come in the top-three.

If you’re heading out to watch, there’s parking available at Universal Studios with a bus ride to the course. You can also purchase parking passes for a somewhat reasonable fee and drive yourself to Bay Hill.

As for where to watch, there are a few places I’d reccommend.

On the front-nine, try behind #2 green. The par-3 offers a great view and is a tough hole on most days. You’ll also be close to the tee on #3, where players have to avoid the water. Another great spot is on the hill overlooking #6 green. This hole is always a blast to watch, as players will be gunning for an eagle and taking a chance over the water. The area around #8 green is also fun, because players will be all over the place coming into that hole, and you might even be able to watch #2 depending on your view.

The back-nine is usually great for following a group or two. Most people will be standing around 16, 17 and 18, so 10-15 can often be seen with very little resistance. That doesn’t mean you’ll be able to watch Tiger or Phil come through without any company, but at least you’ll see something. The par-4 13th and the par-3 14th are two of my favorite holes on the course. Lots of birdies and maybe even an eagle or two during the week.

Another great spots to soak in just how good these guys are is the driving range. While there’s no pressure and nothing incredible to cheer about, it’s the one spot where you can really get a good look at the individual swings of each player. You might even be able to incorporate some of the warm-up / training tricks that they use.

Anyway, I’ve got Tiger by 3 (not betting, just guessing) over Vijay with Phil coming in the top-10. This may even be one of those weeks where we get a true showdown between Tiger and one of his top competitors. Should be fun!

Popularity: 7% [?]