Jake Knapp A Last-Minute Withdrawal From Arnold Palmer Invitational
Jake Knapp pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational just before his first round, and was replaced by China's Haotong Li at Bay Hill
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Jake Knapp was a late withdrawal from the Arnold Palmer Invitational shortly before his first-round start time at Bay Hill.
China’s Haotong Li replaced Knapp in the field for the PGA Tour Signature Event, joining Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick in the two-man group.
News of Knapp's withdrawal was only confirmed around 20 minutes or so before his scheduled tee time at Bay Hill.
No reason was given why 31-year-old Knapp pulled out of the event, which is the third of eight Signature Events being held in 2026.
Knapp is now the World No.41 and was sat in seventh in the FedEx Cup standings heading to the Arnold Palmer Invitational after a great start to the year.
After a T11 at the Sony Open in Hawaii, Knapp had reeled off four straight top 10s, finishing no worse than a tie for eighth in that spell.
Knapp bagged a T5 at the Farmers Insurance Open before a solo eighth at the WM Phoenix Open at TPC Scottsdale.
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He was T8 at Pebble Beach before finishing in sixth at the Genesis Invitational despite starting the tournament with an opening round of 73 - which was his worst round of the year by two shots.
Jake Knapp WD prior to the first round of the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard. Haotong Li will replace Knapp in the 12:05 p.m. tee time.March 5, 2026
That was also the only one of his 20 competitive rounds this year that he finished over par, so he has had a consistent start to the campaign.
Li is ranked 71st in the Official World Golf Ranking and is a four-time winner on the DP World Tour.
The Chinese star, who finished fourth at The Open at Royal Portrush last year, claimed one of the 10 PGA Tour cards on offer to the top finishers on the Race To Dubai.
He's had some decent results so far, finishing T8 at The American Express and also T11 at the Farmers Insurance Open, and now has the chance to earn extra points in his first Signature Event of the year.
Paul Higham is a sports journalist with over 20 years of experience in covering most major sporting events for both Sky Sports and BBC Sport. He is currently freelance and covers the golf majors on the BBC Sport website. Highlights over the years include covering that epic Monday finish in the Ryder Cup at Celtic Manor and watching Rory McIlroy produce one of the most dominant Major wins at the 2011 US Open at Congressional. He also writes betting previews and still feels strangely proud of backing Danny Willett when he won the Masters in 2016 - Willett also praised his putting stroke during a media event before the Open at Hoylake. Favourite interviews he's conducted have been with McIlroy, Paul McGinley, Thomas Bjorn, Rickie Fowler and the enigma that is Victor Dubuisson. A big fan of watching any golf from any tour, sadly he spends more time writing about golf than playing these days with two young children, and as a big fair weather golfer claims playing in shorts is worth at least five shots. Being from Liverpool he loves the likes of Hoylake, Birkdale and the stretch of tracks along England's Golf Coast, but would say his favourite courses played are Kingsbarns and Portrush.
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