Jake Knapp pulled out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational just minutes before his first round at Bay Hill, changing the field at one of the biggest PGA Tour events of the year.
The PGA Tour confirmed the withdrawal just before the first round started on Thursday.
Knapp was supposed to start at 12:05 p.m. ET, but the news came out just minutes before his group was set to begin.
After Knapp dropped out late, Haotong Li took his place in the field.
Withdrawal at Bay Hill at the Last Minute
Knapp’s late withdrawal came as a surprise ahead of the opening round at Bay Hill during the Arnold Palmer Invitational, one of the PGA Tour’s biggest events.
He was expected to perform well in the course this week.
Tournament officials confirmed the withdrawal just before his scheduled tee time.
Later reports said that Knapp was dealing with an illness and chose to step aside to recover ahead of upcoming tournaments, including next week’s Players Championship.
Knapp Was in Strong Form Entering the Week
Knapp’s withdrawal was especially surprising because he had been playing some of the best golf of his career on the PGA Tour.
Jake Knapp started the 2026 season with a string of great finishes, getting five straight results of T11 or better, with several of them being in the top 10.
Because of those results, he was now in the top 10 of the FedEx Cup standings, which made him one of the players who was playing well going into the Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Many analysts thought Knapp had the kind of game that could do well at Bay Hill because it rewards strong driving and aggressive scoring.
What Will Happen Next for Jake Knapp
Knapp seems to have made the decision to pull out in order to protect his health and keep up the momentum at the start of the season.
If the reports of illness are true, the top priority now will be getting better before the next PGA Tour events, especially The Players Championship, which is one of the most important tournaments outside of the major championships.
Knapp is still a player to watch as the PGA Tour schedule moves deeper into the spring because he played so well in the first few months of the season.
Final Thoughts
Jake Knapp’s last minute decision to pull out of the Arnold Palmer Invitational was one of the most surprising things that happened before the first round of the tournament.
At first, it wasn’t clear why the decision was made, but the move shows how quickly things can change on the PGA Tour.
Since Knapp started the season in great shape, a lot of fans will be keeping a close eye on when he returns to competition.
