Jake Knapp is out, Haotong Li is in.
And with that, the third signature event of the PGA Tour season started without one of tournamentโs favorites.
Knappโs withdrawal came before the start of Thursdayโs opening round at the Arnold Palmer Invitational. According to Golfweek, Knapp was dealing with an illness and decided to rest for the upcoming Players Championship.
Chinaโs Haotong Li replaced Knapp at Bay Hill Club and Lodge, where the 72-player field is circling a $20-million purse.
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.
โ PGA TOUR Communications (@PGATOURComms) March 5, 2026
Knapp, currently ranked No. 41 in the world, is No. 7 in the FedExCup standings after a strong start to the season.
He opened with a T-11 at the Sony Open before posting four consecutive top-10 finishes.
The 30-year-old Li ranks No. 71 in the world and is looking for his first PGA Tour victory after multiple wins on the DP World Tour.